True Bonds
by ThorneAndRose
Summary: **AU** A prophecy hard won, two will be drawn together that might never have been but on the hearts of those two rests the fate of all. Eventual Bellamione, rating high for eventual abuse, violence, possible allusions to or actual rape, lemons, and other such items. Chapters that contain these will have warnings. No beta for right now, don't murder my mistakes.
1. Breakthrough

_**AN: This is my first serious attempt at fanfiction of any sort and I also do not have an active beta so all mistakes (and there may be many) are mine. This is an AU, f/f fic so if you dont like, dont read. Bellamione is solid endgame but we have a lot to cover as I am planning this to be a whopper of a story. I will try to update weekly to bi-monthly but I am currently trying to organize a permanent move to another country so there may be times when Im out of pocket. All pertinent chapters will have necessary warnings when applicable but this *will* eventually earn its M rating, I promise.**__**The last thing for this AN is that I am dedicating this chapter to Egypt, you are an absolute doll and without your advice I dont think I would be taking this plunge.**__**And now, without further ado,**__**"True Bonds".**_

Chapter 1

Our story begins at the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the early months of 1926...

Two young witches walk down a long corridor trying, but failing to keep to themselves and to keep their voices down, paying little attention to the strange looks that their heated whispering is garnering.

"Minnie, you need to calm down, it's just a headache. I promise I'm fine."

The other girl's green eyes flash and grits her teeth, "Sybil, first of all you know that I hate that nickname and secondly, a pain that lasts more than a month is not just a headache and you need to go see Madam Pomfrey!"

The shorter and frizzier haired girl sighed in exasperation "Fine Minnie, I'll go see her after dinner, will that satisfy you?"

Minerva rolls her eyes "Yes Sybil, that's all I was asking you to do in the first place but now that you've made a decision, we need to hurry or we will be late for our last class before dinner and if that happens I'll be late to my Head meeting after dinner." Having reached a satisfactory conclusion, both girls started back down the hallway with a hurried gait trying to make it to class on time.

Minerva was making her way to breakfast the next morning, nose stuck in a book about transfiguration when she collided with a stocky student dressed in green and silver causing her to drop the precious tome. "Watch where you're going, you oaf! If my book was damaged you'll be paying for it!"

"I was walking out before you were walking in so I can assure you, I am at fault for nothing. The boy spat out as he brushed imaginary dirt off of his already spotless robe. Minerva cleared her throat and waited until the boy looked up to speak. "Malfoy, you can either apologize for being rude to the Head Girl, or I can take enough points to make your house mates particularly unhappy with you."

He looked at her and paled slightly, "Do forgive my... clumsiness McGonagall, I'll endeavour to ensure it never happens again."

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "See that it doesn't Malfoy, just hurry up and get out of my way before I change my mind about the points." He nodded curtly and stalked off towards a destination that she neither knew nor cared about. Minerva picked up her own pace as she made her way to the Great Hall . She walked in to the usual noise and rowdiness that meals brought (generally due to the third and fourth years who thought a bit too highly of themselves most of the time) and went to sit down when she glanced over to the spot at the Ravenclaw table where Sybil would always sit only to find it curiously empty. She looked around the hall and didn't see her friend anywhere near her table or any of the others. After her simole meal of toast with blackberry jam and tea, she got up and went to talk to the Ravenclaw Prefect to see if she knew anything about where her friend might be. As she walked up she saw that Crissa was showing some of the older girls some pictures.

"Hi Crissa, what's that you've got there?"

"Oh hello Minerva! These are just pictures of my sister Della who got married last year to some ministry bloke named Lake. She just had a baby a couple of weeks ago and they named it Pandora, isn't she cute?

The more serious, green eyed girl raised her eyebrow and said drily, "She's adorable Crissa but I've got something rather important to ask you. I'm a bit worried about Sybil, have you seen her this morning?"

Crissa looked at Minerva with wide eyes, "Oh no, as a matter of fact, I don't think I've seen her since last night after dinner."

"Alright, thanks anyway Cris."

Minerva hurriedly left the Great Hall with a concerned expression on her face. She walked up to the Ravenclaw common room only to find it empty, the same with the dormitory, the library, the gardens and the divination classroom. Her concern and fear rises with each place she finds empty and she pauses in one of the halls to think about where to go next when her eyes light up, "The room of requirement!" With that thought she turns and races up a flight of stairs in the direction of where she is almost positive that her friend is. Arriving at the spot behind which she knew the room existed she stopped. How was she going to manage to get in? How was she going to find Sybill? Minerva paced back and forth, muttering spells and incantations all the while but nothing seemed to work. Frustrated she hit the wall with her fists, nearly crying in defeat when the side of her hand caught on a sharp bit of stone. She hissed in pain, sounding much like a wounded cat and was attempting to see to the small wound when a rumbling sound came from the wall in front of her. With wide eyes she watched a door appear and without a second thought, she ran through the door, dodges piles of dust laden junk and stops dead in the middle of a small clearing next to a particularly hideous statue wondering to herself how is she ever going to find Sybil in all of this mess.

She had just started winding her way through the closely packed piles when she hears a small noise, she stops hoping to hear it again so she can find the source. She hears it again, clearer this time, a soft sobbing coming from somewhere to her left; she turns and makes her way to that side of the room and when she comes around the corner of a particularly large and dingy looking cabinet she sees her friend huddled on the floor quietly sobbing. Getting on her knees, she put her hand on Sybil's shoulder.

"Sybil, what's wrong? Why are you in here of all places?" In between sobs, Sybil manages to choke some coherent words past the tears.

"Minnie, theres just too much in my head and it hurts so much. The pain and all of the images just won't stop."

"What images Syb, what's going on? Talk to me poppet, tell me what's wrong." "There's just so many colors and people, theres violence that I can't make any sense of and oh god, there's so much darkness; what do I do with this Minnie?"

Minerva reaches to embrace her friend but as she does, Sybil bolts upright and races from the room, knocking her friend over and leaving a bewildered Minerva sitting on the dusty ground. She quickly shakes off her confusion and runs after her friend. She manages to follow Sybil as she makes her way to the forbidden forest. Minerva loses her shortly after they enter the forest leaving her to try and find her friend before something even worse happens to her.

Sybil ran through the forest, branches and undergrowth slapping and stinging her face, arms, and legs but the pain in her head was so great that she didn't feel any of it. She didn't know where she as going, only that she needed to run as far and as fast as she could, something in her was pushing her deeper into the forest than she had ever been before. As she ran, the pain started to get so bad that her vision started getting blurry and her feet started catching on small branches and roots. Even as she tried to watch her path, she tripped over a large tree root, the impact of her fall jarring her head, shattering her over large glasses and making her black out. When she came to, she noticed that she wasn't alone. She couldn't tell what or who it was, only that it was dark and very large. After a few mins of silence, the shape spoke, startling Sybil, making her scrabble backwards in an attempt to get away from whoever it was that was speaking to her. She went backwards until she ran into a tree, the light bump making her realize that though it still hurt, the pain in her head

wasn't nearly crippling as it had been before. The voice sounded impossibly deep and it had a strange lilt to it that Sybil had never heard before.

"Don't be afraid child, I mean you no harm. I know you are still in pain but I can help you."

Terrified of the idea of being alone with an unknown in the middle of the Forbidden Forest she barely managed to squeak out questions of her own. "What do you mean, help me? Who are you?" A low snort and what sounded curiously like a swishing tail sounded before the voice.

"Who I am hardly matters, what you need to concern yourself with is what lies in front you, the different choices and paths that you now face."

Gasping in shock and quite forgetting the uncertain state of her surroundings, Sybill raised her voice, making her tender head throb. "Choices? Paths? You aren't making sense."

The rich voice spoke after several heartbears that felt far too long for her liking. "My sire, Firell spoke of this moment, it is how I knew to be here. You were always meant to be here at this time for this reason. You are the carrier of a great prophecy that will change the fate of the world as it is known. But with this comes a price, a price that you might not be willing to pay. This prophecy, this vision, will break you; it will change who you are and how the world sees you, this will change the course of your life. You will act as a seer but you will have no more true visions except for one in the future and you will be ridiculed by many for the rest of your life, you will lose much of what could have been."

Swallowing hard she begged, "Isn't there a way to stop this? Can I pass it on or give it away?" At the grim silence that met her plea, she feared she knew the answer already.

"You cannot. It will come through you or it will not come. You do have two choices, two paths laid out before you; You can choose to stay and allow me to help you bring this to fruition or you can go and simply wait for this to pass. So either you use what is coming or you simply lose it and the ability to do anything about it. Either way, the world will be different when all is said and done."

Sybill sighed deeply and paused in thought, after several long moments she lifted her head once again. "Will the future that this vision will help bring about be worth it? Will it change the world for the better?"

"There is equal possibility for it to tip the scales to either the light or the dark, it depends solely on who the vision concerns and how they react to the events of the future. As for worth? That is up to you to decide, the power to potentially decide the fate of your world and those in it is in your hands. What is that worth to you?"

Sybil sat back and thought over everything that had just been said. "I'll do it, I don't believe that I would be able to live with myself if I let this slip away. What do we do now?"

"I will release my hold on your pain, I have been holding it in check for this conversation, to give you a few moments to breathe and so that you could make a decision. When I let it go the pain will be unlike anything you have ever felt and then it will grow past that. It is there that you must fight to stay awake, you must be aware for the vision to fully come through. You will have to remove and store the memory as soon as you can afterwards as the longer it stays in your head, the more damage it will do. Are you ready child?"

"No, but I don't think that anyone ever really could be with something like this"

The pain was released and it hit Sybil with a force she hadn't been prepared for. With each second that passed, the pain grew worse, mounting to heights she never thought she'd feel much less be able to endure; each moment brought more pressure,making her head feel like it was going to explode. The pain increased until there was nothing else but the pain she felt that she was being consumed and destroyed by. All off a sudden, a rush of images came flooding in; flowing too fast for her to catch most of but strangely what stood out was the image of two women, one older and dark in eyes, hair and heart and the other younger and fairer in all respects but for all of their differences, they seemed drawn to each other like a moth to a bright flame. The images and the pain abruptly stopped, leaving Sybil feeling unexpectedly empty. She shuddered and looked up towards the dark shape, "It's over I think." Sybil then collapsed, falling over onto her side just as Minerva reached the clearing.

Minerva finally located her friend, only to find that she had fallen to the ground in a dead faint. She looks around, surprised to see a large, dark centaur standing to the side of the clearing. She whips out her wand and points it at him "Who are you and what have you done with my friend!"

The centaur holds his hands up, "I give you my word that I have not harmed her nor do I intend to harm either of you now. As for who I am, my name is Firenze.

"Minerva lowered her wand and said with a hard glint in her bright green eyes, "Then kindly explain why my best friend is on the ground and unconscious?"

"My being here with her was preordained long ago child and I have done nothing to her, I have merely helped her through a traumatic but necessary event. She has had a true vision, a vision of a future that may come to pass if the strands of fate are woven in the right way. This was, is, her destiny."

"Vision? Destiny? You're hardly making any sense Firenze, why is she unconscious?"

"It was not I that caused her to be in this state, the intensity of the pain that the vision caused and the vision itself caused her to lose consciousness once it had run its course."

"What was the vision of? Will Sybil be alright when she comes to?"

"I cannot say what exactly it contained only that it is of great importance. I will also say that she went to this willingly but when she wakes, she will not be the same and the changes will be drastic; she will need someone to help her through what is to come. There is something that you can do to begin to help her now."

Nodding with resolve, Minerva looked up at the imposing centaur. "What do you mean, help her how?"

"You must remove the memory of her time here and of the vision from her and store it so that you can see it for yourself as this is not something that she will be able to deal with herself. Someone else must hold the knowledge for her."

"Alright but I don't have anything to store it in." Firenze reached into a pouch he had slung across his well muscled torso and retrieved a small glass vial and hands it to Minerva. She took the vial and her wand and got on the ground next to her friend. She gently pressed her wand to Sybil's temple "Memoriae Remotio" as the last bit of the word left her mouth, the tip of her wand began to glow. She drew it back to see the luminous strands of the memories attached to the end of her wand. She pulled back until the strands carefully snapped which meant that she had all of the memories from her friend that were needed. She uncorked the vial with her teeth and used her wand to lower the softly glowing strands into to it. Minerva put away her wand and grabbed the cork and sealed the vial. "Well, I have it now what do I do with it?"

"This is not something to be trifled with, share it only with those you trust implicitly for it must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. Be careful child, much now depends on you." With that ominous statement, Firenze turned and galloped deeper into the forest, leaving Minerva alone with her unconscious friend.

After Minerva made it back to school and safely deposited Sybil in Madam Pomfreys care, she went to the only person that she knew she could trust with something of this magnitude. A little while later she arrived at a dark wooden door. She raised her hand to knock but paused "Is this really the right thing to do?" She wondered silently, she shook her head, squared her shoulders and knocked. "Come in" said a warm, male voice. At that Minerva pushed her way into the office of Professor Albus Dumbledore, "Why Miss McGonagall, what brings you to my office on a day like today?" She gave a low sigh, "You see professor, something has happened and I didn't know who else to turn to about it." Dumbledore sat up with a look of concern on his face, "Well have a seat my dear, please tell me what's going on that has you this concerned." Minerva sat in the low backed chair in front of his desk and stared at her shoes for several seconds before beginning. Dumbledore sat and listened to her recount everything that happened, inserting questions or sympathetic noises when appropriate, the look of worry deepening on his face with each new bit of the story. When she finally finished he was quiet for a while before speaking. "I believe that you did the right thing in coming to me, that being said, if this is as important as I currently believe it is then I will need to take those memories and hide them after I've seen them for myself. If I am at all correct and I usually am, this is too large to be for only one person so what will most likely happen is that it will be split into three parts. One will be for the guardian, and the others will be for the other two people that this concerns, I think that doing this will keep not only the individual people, but the potential outcome of the prophecy safer than if it were all left together." Minerva stared at the professor with a little shock on her face.

"That all sounds well and good sir but what role will I play in this? Surely this isn't the whole of it?"

Dumbledore sighed, "No, I don't think that your part in this is done but what remains for you I couldn't say, only time will give you that answer."

She nodded and made to leave, "Thank you Professor, I've a bit more hope now than when I first found Sybil in the forest." With that she exits his office leaving a considerably more burdened Dumbledore behind.


	2. Meddling and Enlightenment

_**AN: So this chapter is super important to the overall plot but it's fairly short in comparison to most of the others so no murder on that account, please. I have a fantastic Alpha and a wonderful Beta those being " Art3misiA" and MarieVance respectively, I wouldn't be able to do this anywhere nearly as well without them. Please, r&r, yall's comments and whatnot make me smile and want to keep going. :)**__**I own no part of the HP franchise and sadly, get no money or other compensation from my work.**_

**To the guest reviewer on the last chapter: Thank you so much for the review! Just to clarify though, Minerva and Sybill arent together, just best friends. Thank you for putting the pairing idea in**** my head!**

Chapter Two:

Some days later, Albus Dumbledore was taking a walk down a, particularly nice road in a wealthy neighborhood in North Wiltshire. One known to house some of the wealthiest and influential wizarding families in Britain. As he strolled past houses in varying states of grandeur, he stopped in front of an opulent manor with an impeccably manicured lawn. While he stood there admiring a pair of beautiful cherry trees next to the entry gate, he heard angry voices that floated above the ivy-covered walls of the side garden.

"No father, I will absolutely not marry that self-indulgent, nattering pansy! He is positively repulsive and his family has all but said that all they want me for is to produce more Black heirs and continue their precious family line!"

A man's voice boomed out, "Druella you will do as I say or there will be consequences!"

"What consequences father? I don't care about any blasted conse…" Her nearly shrill voice cut off suddenly.

"Crucio!" The man's voice yelled out, then there was the sound of a body hitting the ground with a small thump and a soft groan. "You will do as you're told and there will be no more argument on the matter or I will give you to Fenris and his pack."

Scant seconds later, Albus heard the sound of a heavy door slamming and then quiet sobbing. Silence fell and Dumbledore began to walk away with his thoughts heavy and saddened at what he had just heard. He had gotten a good bit down the street when he heard footsteps coming up behind him, but before he got the chance to turn around or even move out of the way, the source of the footsteps abruptly ran into his side. He caught the woman before she could fall onto the sidewalk and once she was righted she brushed off her clothes and looked up at the reason she had nearly fallen face-first into the stones and was startled to find the well-known and mildly infamous face of Albus Dumbledore.

"Why Mr. Dumbledore," she said in a surprised tone, "You are most certainly the last person I thought I would see here of all places. Whatever are you doing here?"

He gave her a mild look and said in a dryly amused tone, "It just so happens my dear, that I'm actually here to see one Druella Rosier. Who, if I'm not mistaken, is you."

She looked at him in shock, "Me? Whatever for?"

"The matter, Miss Rosier, is that I've come into possession of some highly sensitive and extremely important information that just so happens to concern you so if you'd care to join me for a short chat I'm certain that I can explain this more than adequately."

Druella crossed her arms and looked at him in disbelief. "Even if I did believe such an absurd notion, where could we possibly go to have such a discussion on such short notice. There is a certain discretion and integrity that my position demands."

"I know of just a place Miss Rosier," said Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye. He held out his arm, "If you'd care to come with me, we can be there quite quickly."

Druella reluctantly nodded her assent and took Dumbledore by the arm. They both disappeared off of the street leaving a small crack in their wake. The duo reappeared outside of a brick wall where Dumbledore tapped a series of bricks in the wall and it opened up onto a sparsely populated street. They walked together in silence until they reached the Leaky Cauldron. Druella stopped and looked over at the entrance, "We're meeting here?" She asked with disdain.

"Yes," Dumbledore answered with a bit of surprise in his voice. "Is there a problem? I was under the impression that you only acquiesced to meet with me if we could do so without the burden of so many prying eyes."

Druella lifted her head and huffed, "Yes, but I hardly thought that this would be the place that we would end up in." She sighed. "No matter, we're here now so let's get on with it as I have little enough time as it is."

Dumbledore bowed slightly and opened the door for Druella. As she entered she lifted her skirt to avoid the thick layer of grime on the entryway. They both made their way inside to a table in a dark and secluded corner of the pub.

Druella sat quietly as Dumbledore cast various silencing and privacy charms but once he finished and stowed his wand, she spoke. "Mr. Dumbledore, you convinced me to come here sir but you as of yet have neglected to tell me exactly why it was so imperative that we spoke other than to tell me that it was of great importance to myself. That being said, what makes you think you know anything about me or anyone in my future?"

Dumbledore let out a little sigh, "Let me begin by saying that this will not be an easy thing to hear nor will it be an easy thing to bear once you have been told in full. However, you must know, for I fear that without you knowing, all will be lost. Now, you graduated a few years back shortly before I began to teach at Hogwarts if I'm not mistaken?"

Druella nodded, "Yes I remember a few feathers were ruffled at your appointment due to your age."

He shrugged. "That seems to be just the way that I do things if recent history is any judge but that is not of any real importance. Do you happen to remember the young Ravenclaw by the surname of Trelawney? She was a few years behind you."

Druella cocked her head and thought for a minute. "I believe so. A spindly looking child with bushy hair and over thick glasses, always spouting off about how she is a direct descendant of one of the original Greek seers?"

"Yes, that would be Sybill. She certainly has her moments, but regardless of the veracity of some of her claims, she's given a true prophecy. A prophecy that concerns not only one of your future children but the fate of the wizarding world as we know it."

Druella stared at him in shock with an incredulous look on her face. "How could one of my children possibly have to do with the fate of the world? I'm nothing special beyond my social standing and even that is only due to who my parents just so happen to be. And regardless of who I marry, I doubt there's anything in either side that would merit such worry and importance."

Dumbledore regarded her with a steady gaze.

"The thing is, my dear, that regardless of what you think of yourself or the potential in your progeny, this prophecy has been made and it does concern one of your children. It is serious and it is dark. If things are done in preparation and you're able to do what will be asked of you, there might still be hope for the child and all of the rest of us as well. All of this will be difficult and at times it will seem like you are dancing on the razor's edge of failure and complete heartbreak. Nevertheless, if you can bear it and follow through, I have hope that it will be worth it in the end."

Despite herself, Druella's shoulders sagged and she put her face in her hands for a few moments before she looked up at the man across from her. "Even if I did truly believe you, where is this prophecy? If the results of it are going to cost me so dearly, I demand to hear it."

He reached into an inner coat pocket and pulled out a small orb that glowed with a dark light.

"The prophecy has been contained in this and I have been temporarily allowed to borrow it before it has to be warded and placed into the hall of prophecy with the hope that I would be able to convince you to view it. If you are willing, I will make it so that we will be able to be undisturbed for the duration."

Druella looked down at the table, "I don't suppose I have much of a choice now do I. So let's get on with it."

Dumbledore set the orb on the worn table and pulled out his wand to cast the spell necessary to allow Druella to view the contents of the orb. After he was done he gestured for her to pick it up. "Now, all you need to do is pick it up and think about viewing what is inside and it will activate and you'll be able to see."

She stared at the gleaming glass ball in front of her and swallowed hard. She reached for it and as her hand closed about it the soft glow brightened. Just as she was about to say something to Dumbledore about it not doing anything, a tremulous voice emerged from the orb and a black mist rose from it.

"Sacrifice must be made, freedom set aside so that all might be saved. From this will come three and the third of these must be molded. The best will become the worst and then the best again. The third shall meet its match and two will come together to change the very fabric of fate. One born into darkness with a hidden light and the other into light with a hidden darkness. Opposite equals, they will balance each other, one cannot live without the other and the fate of all will depend on the salvation of one."

As the final sound of the final word faded away, it took with it the color from Druella's face and her tears flowed freely down her cheeks as the full meaning of the prophecy became all too clear.

"Are you alright my dear?" asked Dumbledore with a note of concern in his voice.

"No sir, I am not. I doubt anyone in my position would be. This has made a great many things clear to me but having the knowledge of what I must do does not make doing it even one bit easier."

Dumbledore looked at her with a bit of melancholy, "Very well, Miss Rosier." She handed the orb back to him and he placed it back in his inner coat pocket. "I will take this to the hall of prophecy where it will wait until it is needed again, of which I have no doubt." He once again produced his wand and dispelled the enchantments around them. He then moved to get up from the table but Druella grabbed his hand before he was out of reach.

"I cannot pretend that I am thankful to you for what you have brought to me. I can, however, say that I am thankful for being granted the ability to do something about it and do something I shall. I will say though that from here on our association must be as close to nothing as possible unless absolutely necessary. I don't wish anyone to draw any conclusions or to get any ideas."

Dumbledore nodded in assent, "That may be the wisest course of action for this matter, though I will help you where and when I can."

Druella let go of his hand and rose from her seat. "There is only one thing that I would ask of you though when it comes time, will you watch over them? Not interfere I mean, just watch? Just in case?"

Dumbledore gave her a curious look, "Of course my dear, I'll do what I can." Satisfied, Druella nodded her thanks and then proceeded to make her way out of the dark pub and into the street outside, leaving Dumbledore saddened and somewhat more burdened than he had been when he had first arrived.

_**Chapter three is done and sent off to my lovely alpha and beta, as soon as I finish chapter four and I get three back from their more than capable hands, you guys will have chapter three! Thank you so much for your favorites and follows, they warm the cockles of my cold, black heart. ;)**_


	3. Shackles

_**Chapter three is here you guys! Had some personal stuff happen so this chapter was a smidge delayed but the good news is that chapter 4 is ready to post so you'll have that next week! Chapter 5 is fully written and being worked on as well :) I'm doing my best to work around life stuff so that I can have a solid set of buffer chapters and thanks to my lovely and wonderful Alpha/Beta team (Art3misiA & MarieVance) I am actually succeeding in that endeavor. Enjoy and R/R!**_

_**TW for violence, non-con and rape.**_

_**Nope, still don't own anything and still not making any money off of any of this. **_

Druella awoke the next day and for a few blissful moments breathed easily and peacefully, relishing the gentle morning light streaming in the window on the far side of her room. She sat up and was about to call for her house elf Tinny when everything from the conversation the day before came crashing down and that brought with it the heavy burden that she had agreed to shoulder only yesterday. Though now it seemed as though it had happened decades ago. She swung her legs over the edge of her bed and sat there with her hands clenching the duvet, waiting for the onslaught of words and images from the prophecy to abate.

After a few minutes she shook her head, "As much as this is weighing on me, I can't just sit here and simply wait for things to happen. I need to do something about all of this or I may very well go mad." Having made up her mind as to what she needed to do, she summoned her house elf to help her get ready for her day.

The small grey creature popped into her room with a quiet snap, "Young miss summoned Tinny. What can Tinny be doing for young miss?"

Druella motioned her over to the wardrobe, "I want to wear my dove grey day gown today. I need you to prepare it and lay out the matching accessories. I want the silver jewelry set that father gave me for my graduation. I have a very important conversation to have with him today and it is imperative that I convey the right message and image. And that starts with my appearance, father places a great deal of importance on one maintaining one's image in the face of anything and everything. We are Purebloods and must always look and act the part. It is my hope that this will make him take me seriously and that being this forward won't raise his ire once again."

She shuddered at that last thought, remembering the agony that the short taste of the Cruciatus had made her suffer through and determined that she would not allow that to happen ever again.

Tinny listened patiently and merely nodded at the conclusion of Druella's words and set out to make short work of the tasks that her young mistress had set her to, completing them before Druella had even finished the first part of her morning toilette. Druella emerged from her bathroom wrapped in a dark blue robe with her damp black curls piled carelessly on top of her head. Seeing that her things were laid out and ready for her, she turned and dismissed Tinny with a wave of her hand and dressed. The fine grey silk hugged her body in a way that managed to be both demure and attractive, understated enough that it would be perfect for a family meal but not enough so that her father would find it lacking. She slipped on her shoes, clasped the jewelry around her neck and wrist and pinned back her long, shining curls. She gave herself a close look in the floor length mirror and decided that she didn't think that there was anything her father would be able to pick at. With a heavy sigh, she left her room and went downstairs to join her parents.

Druella made her way down to breakfast where she joined her parents. "Good morning Father, Mother, what plans do you have for today?"

Her mother coughed delicately into the linen napkin she held in her hand. "I am going to go see your aunt, Mathilda, to see how she and your cousin, Malina, are doing. Her son, Malix, has just come home from St. Mungos. I'm not sure how long I will be away though, likely for the better part of the day."

Druella turned and looked at her father, he gave her a bland look, "I have a meeting with the Undersecretary to the Minister later this morning and then I am going to Glasgow on other business. Why do you ask?"

She cleared her throat, "Well, I was hoping Father, that you and I might be able to have a talk about my future before you go?"

He gave her a strange look, "I have a bit of time before I have to be at the Ministry, join me in my study after you've finished."

Druella nodded, "Thank you Father, I promise that I won't tarry overmuch at the table." They ate in silence, with her father having left the table some time before Druella and her mother were finished. After she was done, she excused herself from the table and made her way to her father's study. She arrived outside the heavy oaken doors, stained so dark they were nearly black and steeled herself for a conversation that would ultimately change her life forever. She raised her hand to knock on the door but before she could the door opened and her father's elf, Gossy, emerged. "Master Rubellus is expecting you Miss, he says for you to go in." She nodded at the small creature and pushed her way into the room.

Her father looked up as she entered, "Ah, Druella, what did you want to discuss? Dare I hope that you've come to your senses and put that silly nonsense behind us?"

She took a deep breath, steadying herself before she spoke. "Actually father, that is precisely why I asked to speak with you today. Your methods of persuasion, though unconventional, have proven to be effective. I have indeed seen the error of my foolish thinking, I of course, willingly consent to the marriage with Cygnus Black."

Her father grinned, "That is marvelous my dear! I will owl him later tonight to let him know and to formally invite him to dine with us so that we can seal the arrangement. I think a fortnight is enough time for your mother to arrange something appropriate. I must say daughter, that I am pleased with this turn of events though I am disappointed that it took you so long to reach this conclusion. I do trust that in the future, you won't let yourself fall into such nonsensical hysteria and bring shame on our family and his. You know the Black's aren't the sort to hold with that sort of thing."

Druella nodded in assent, "I promise Father, I'll not let my emotions get the better of me like that again."

Rubellus arched an eyebrow at her words, "See that you don't. Now that that's settled, I need to be to the Ministry in a quarter of an hour and I simply cannot be late." He grabbed a pinch of floo powder to leave to the Ministry when he turned back to Druella, "You may call on Gossy to take you to Diagon Alley to purchase what you need for the dinner with Cygnus, it goes without saying that you must look your absolute best for it."

Clutching her hands tightly behind her back, Druella responded with a tight smile, "Yes Father, of course. I'll attend to that without delay." With nothing further than a small nod, Rubellus disappeared into the fireplace. After the room was left empty, she wrote a quick note to Twillfit and Tattings, booking a private fitting appointment for the following Monday.

A few days later, Druella stood in the private fitting room of Twillfit and Tattings with the proprietress herself, Wilhelmina Tattings. When Druella had come in for her fitting appointment and had told an attendant what it was for, Madame Tattings herself had declared that she would be the one to design and make the dress. After all, it wasn't every day that the only child of the formidable Lord Rubellus Rosier was going to be engaged to the almost equally as formidable Lord Cygnus Black. It seemed that the woman had poked and prodded every possible inch of Druella's body, measuring her, taking in a piece of cloth here, letting out another there and changing the colour of the damned thing four times over. It had gotten to the point where Druella just wanted to scream out of bloody sheer frustration. Mistress of her craft or not, Madam Tattings was the human version of a great buzzing gnat.

Just when she was about to pull out her wand to hex the woman to Hades, Madam Tattings stopped and stood back with a pleased expression on her face. "There you go, this dress will not only do you absolute justice but your soon to be fiance will be beside himself when he sees you in it. All that's left now is for you to choose the color my dear. I took the liberty to have these color bolts brought out but you are, of course, able to request any color you choose."

At that Madame Tattings waved her wand and several bolts of richly coloured silk floated themselves in front of Druella. She looked at them carefully, knowing that the color that she chose would also make a statement to her future husband. Reaching out a hand, she grasped the dark emerald silk and examined it. "Hmm, this would certainly express my desire to remain loyal to my Slytherin roots and of course, Cygnus's as well and it would likely ingratiate myself to him further." At that thought, Druella cast aside the green cloth and flicked through other samples, passing a blue, a red and a deep purple. A dark, burnished gold also fell to the wayside and she sighed in frustration.

With a thoughtful look on her face, Madam Tattings turned and retrieved yet another bolt from a dresser set to the side of the room. This one however was not turned out as the others had been, in fact it was carefully wrapped in a light brown paper and tied shut with a simple black ribbon. She handed the entire thing to the younger woman and waved her wand so that the packaging fell away from what lay inside. "That is silk that I made years ago but have never found the right time or the right person to use it for. I believe that it might suit you my dear."

Druella gasped at the sight, folds upon folds of darkly gleaming silk laid in her hands, the color of the finest dark whiskey but richer still, almost a glowing tone to it, like liquid jewels. Druella looked up at the older woman with a determined expression on her face, "This. This is what my dress will be made from but not only that, from here on out, this silk will only be used for me. I cannot stomach the thought of anyone else wearing even a sliver of it. Father will see to what ever it costs but this is mine and mine alone."

Madam Tattings was a bit taken aback at the reaction that Druella had to the silk but she quickly shook off the shock and did just as the young woman asked, placing a charm on it so that it couldn't be used by anyone else for the remainder of its existence.

Happy that the business at the clothiers was satisfactorily concluded, Druella went for a late lunch at a nearby restaurant that her mother tended to favor when out on similar errands.

Druella returned home feeling rather drained and handed her things off to Gossy once she had made it inside. She went in search of her mother, finally locating her in her private greenhouse where she housed her favorite rare orchid varietals. Druella gently rapped on the glass door to get her mother's attention, waiting patiently while her mother finished with her newest acquisition, the particularly fragrant "Stardust" orchid. This was by far Druella's favorite of her mother's flowers, a deep, rich blue speckled with fine drops of silver. It smelled like a perfect marriage of honeysuckle and jasmine, the scent never failing to make her smile. Finally finished, Dorcas Rosier stood and left the greenhouse, cleaning dirt and dried leaves from her dress as she walked with a simple wave of her wand.

"Druella my dear, did the trip with Gossy go well?"

"Yes Mother, it was quite productive."

"Good. Were you able to find something appropriate to wear for the dinner? You know how important this is."

Druella smiled tightly, "Of course mother, Madam Tattings has taken the task upon herself to do the work on my dress so I know it will be impeccable. I was so taken with the special silk that Madam Tattings pulled out for me that I had her put it away for my exclusive use. I know that it will make the perfect impression on Cygnus. Though father may be less than thrilled with the cost of it. The jewelry I already have. But that will be understated, the earrings from Grandmother Delinda's bequeathment and the bracelet from Aunt Mathilda that she gave me for my sixteenth birthday. I want to impress Cygnus but I also don't want to potentially take away from anything he might give me that night."

Dorcas nodded, "I am pleased that you've seen reason. I would have hated to see your father reduced to further such unpleasantness. I'm certain that you will be an obedient wife and diligent mother as long as you never forget what you have been taught."

"I understand Mother, and I know my duty to the honor of this family and to that of the Blacks in the future. I will fill the roll that I am meant to fill, regardless of any personal or imagined reticence."

Her mother gave her an appraising look, "That's very reassuring dear, now, join me for tea so we can go over some of the details for the dinner plans. I will have to owl Walburga Black, she is the family matriarch since the death of Cygnus's mother after his birth. I remember his mother, such an impressive woman, always staunchly on the right side of the pureblood discord. Her death was such a sad state of affairs, especially since her husband never remarried." The mostly one-sided conversation continued into the house, fading as the door closed behind them, leaving the greenhouse and the garden around it silent in the growing dark.

The days seemed to pass at a glacially fast pace, moving slower than Druella thought possible but the date of her engagement was looming ever closer and she knew that it would be here sooner than she thought possible. She knew that once that ring was put on her finger that she would be little more than a piece of child bearing chattel. She knew what was coming and she had resigned herself to it, but she was still terrified. She was still so fucking terrified of what was coming. But every time she thought of saying no, of running, it wasn't the pain she would undoubtedly be forced to endure or even the shame that such an action would bring on her family. It was the girl who she had yet to meet, the girl that had yet to be born. That girl and what rested on her shoulders so far outweighed her own burden that no matter what she had to go through, she would do what she needed to do to make sure that her daughter made it to where she needed to be so that she could save them all.

BHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHBHB

Finally the day arrived that Druella had been dreading, the day of the dinner that would end in her engagement to Cygnus Black. The day that she would ultimately start to lose herself.

The house elves and owls had been flitting around and in and out of Rosier manor for days, cleaning, carrying messages and making sure that everything was stocked and ready for the dinner. Druella's dress had been delivered the day before and it was even more stunning than the model had been at Twillfit and Tattings. The impossibly rich brown silk had been fashioned into the most beautiful dress that Druella had ever seen. The bottom of it was cut so that the front was slightly higher than the back which allowed the soft, black, gossamer thin fabric to show when she walked, floating around her ankles like a delicate breeze. Farther up it gently hugged her hips, and the waist was fitted to showcase her slender figure. The top was the real work of art, it was fine black lace with impossibly intricate swirls and patterns that started in a point just below her chest and rose up to give the illusion of covering her chest and shoulders while still leaving a glimpse of the pale skin underneath. After the dress was on and fastened, Druella arranged her hair up in a loose bun with small tendrils left around her face. It was held up by a delicate clip that looked like a golden spray of stars. She affixed the small earrings to her ears, small fiery topaz set into simple gold circles. The last part of her outfit was a delicate, hammered gold bracelet, she slipped it on and she was finally ready.

Druella knew it was past time for her to descend to meet her parents and Cygnus but she just couldn't make herself step outside her room just yet. A small knock on her door startled her from her thoughts, "Young miss? Master and Mistress be waiting and mister Black is here now and be waiting too."

Druella sighed and opened the door. "I'm ready Gossy, please let them know that I will be down momentarily." The house elf nodded and disappeared with a soft pop. Steeling herself, Druella took a deep breath and started down the stairs. She reached the bottom landing and saw her parents and Cygnus sitting in the parlour through the open door way. She started making her way down the last few steps when Cygnus's eyes met hers and widened in surprise and lust. He rose and met her before she could enter the parlour, and with a lasciviously sadistic smile, he took her hand and bowing, laid a cold kiss on it.

"Druella, I am pleased beyond measure that you have come to this so willingly. I have been looking forward to this night since I received that owl from your father. But enough about that, I believe it is time for us to sit and eat. Come, I'll escort you to the table." Druella placed her arm in his, making her skin crawl and allowed him to lead her to the table.

As they entered the dining room, Cygnus led Druella to the seat next to her mother and almost directly across from him. Once they were all seated, Rubellus rang a small bell that sat on the table next to him and the first course appeared on the table. A light vegetable broth with noodles and shredded chicken started the meal, followed by baked lemon chicken with a light cream sauce and roasted vegetables. Dessert followed after everyone had dismissed their main plate, small cakes made of rich, decadent chocolate cake layered with raspberry filling and finished with a shimmering gold dust. Once the meal had been eaten in its entirety, Rubellus and Cygnus retired to the study to discuss the finer terms of the engagement, dowry and other such items while they smoked and sipped on glasses of Ogden's Finest that Rubellus had ordered especially for this night. While they were shut away, Druella and her mother left to the drawing room to wait for them to be summoned to the study to finalize the proceedings.

Nearly an hour later, Gossy appeared in the drawing room, "Mistress and young miss are summoned to the study, Master and Lord Black require their presence." He then left the room with a soft pop.

Dorcas nodded to Druella, "Well dear, we mustn't keep Lord Black waiting, let us join them and see this all finished." Druella nodded tightly and followed her mother to her father's study.

They entered the study and joined the men at the sitting area to the side, four plush leather chairs, half of which were filled by the waiting men. Druella and Dorcas sat on the other side, waiting expectantly for the men to speak. Rubellus cleared his throat, "Cygnus and I have come to an accord on the matter of your engagement to him Druella. Your dowry has been set as well as the date for your marriage." His tone brooked no argument from anyone else present, the only sound was the breathing of people in the room and the tick tock of the clock on the wall. "Now Dorcas, you and I will sign here and Druella and Cygnus will sign there. Once everything is signed, it will be magically registered and as soon as Cygnus places his ring on her finger, everything will be finished."

At that Rubellus laid out the parchment and signed, followed by his wife, his almost son in law until Druella was the only one left. She grasped the ornate black quill and hovered over the paper for the space of a breath and then signed, each swirl and curve of the flowing black ink as good as a link in a chain that she would never be able to throw off. She set down the quill and turned towards Cygnus who was holding a small, dark green box. He opened it, removed the ring and set the box on the table next to them. It was a fairly simple ring, a burnished silver band with an emerald so dark that it was almost black. The shape of two snakes circled the gem, their fangs making up the setting. He slipped it on her finger and she had to bite back a shudder at the feeling of being smothered under the beginnings of Cygnus's iron-fisted control.

Rubellus smiled, "Now that that's all settled, I will tell you what we discussed about when you will be getting married. Druella dear, as you know you are older than most new brides so Cygnus and I saw no reason to extend the engagement period beyond what was strictly necessary for your mother and his sister Walburga to take care of the planning that such an event is due. You and Cygnus will be wed in three months time, during which you will be going to ministry events and tours of his holdings as well as learning more about him and his habits and expectations so that you will be able to be the wife that a Lord deserves."

At that pronouncement, Druella's eyes watered but she refused to let any of them see her cry, "Thank you Father, and thank you Cygnus. I certainly appreciate all of the trouble that you both have gone to in preparing this. I eagerly await the day when I am able to be your wife, there has been almost nothing but thoughts of that in my head since I agreed."

Cygnus looked at her with a barely concealed sadistic glee, "I am so very glad to hear that Druella, I too look forward to the day of our joining. On that note though, I am vital to happenings in the ministry over the next several years so I don't believe that there will be any need for us to waste time on something so frivolous as a honeymoon. Besides that, it will be much easier for you to care for my future heir the sooner we have him and we are able to do that here as well as anywhere. It has been an absolute pleasure Rubellus, thank you for the gift of that excellent whiskey you sent home with your elf, I will have to have you over soon to break the seal on it. Now I must take my leave but I will send either an owl or my personal elf, Kreacher, with instructions for when I will be taking Druella to tour my holdings."

The men shook hands and Rubellus walked Cygnus to the private apparition alcove they had in the foyer. Once Cygnus was well and truly gone, Druella made her way up to bed, the new ring on her finger heavy and cold, a constant reminder of what she was now inexorably tied to. Exhausted and worn, she undressed and went to bed, wanting the simple and uncomplicated release of sleep.

The next day, an owl from Cygnus came with a letter for Rubellus, to let him know that he would be by after lunch the following Monday to take Druella on a tour of his holdings as well as to dinner later that evening before returning her to her home. Rubellus of course readily accepted on Druella's behalf and made sure that nothing would impede his future son-in-law's visit with his daughter. Druella was less than thrilled about the prospect but she suspected that Cygnus had laid enchantments on the ring that made her more pliable and susceptible to his suggestion and instruction. That he did that even before they were married terrified her to no end because it held nothing good for her future with him.

The Monday he was going to come arrived to find Druella nervous and as reticent as her new position would allow her to be. She stood waiting for Cygnus in the parlour as he would be coming via floo to escort her to their destination. Scant minutes after that thought, he emerged from the green flames and shook himself clean. "Druella, I am pleased to see that you are here and ready for me, I am not one to tolerate tardiness." He held out his hand, "Come along now, there is a great deal that I have planned for the day and I'll not have you make us late anywhere." With no further comment or delay, Cygnus pulled her to him and they stepped through the flames of the floo.

They arrived in a large living room of sorts though she could feel the wards pressing in on her, almost malevolent, as if they didn't want her there and were trying to push her back out. She gasped and stumbled back, out of Cygnus's arms. He took that as her trying to get away from him and he retaliated by grabbing her by the arm and twisting it viciously to pull her flush against his body. "You don't ever pull away from me, do you understand? You are mine now and I do what I please with what I own." At that he bent his head and forced a kiss on her, pushing against her hard enough that his teeth cut her bottom lip but the blood only seemed to excite him more and he continued to plunder her mouth with no regard to her muffled protests. Finally, he pulled away, leaving her mouth already bruised and swollen. The very last of his charming veneer shattered. "That is only the beginning Druella, you are nothing now, nothing but mine. I own you and everything about you. You only exist for my convenience and pleasure, you will grace my arm at society and ministry galas and events and you will be charming, demure and polite. You will bear my heirs and keep my secrets, you will obey me in everything or face my wrath. Do. You. Understand?" The last three words were nearly growled, punctuated with venom that made Druella shudder.

With tears in her eyes Druella nodded at him. "I understand, I'll not do anything that you don't say or allow, I have no desire to anger you further, not now and especially not after we're married." Cygnus sneered down at her and released her, causing her to stumble yet again.

"While we are here you will be familiarizing yourself with the house and other things you need to know for after we marry. I have things to attend to while you are seeing to that but I expect you to be waiting here for me when I return in three hours to take us to dinner." With that he stalked out of the room, leaving Druella in pain and alone with her thoughts.

The rest of the night passed in silence with Cygnus giving curt orders and making all of the decisions and choices for them both. After dinner they apparated to her home but Cygnus stopped her before she could open the door. He grabbed her by the chin and pointed his wand at her face, releasing the glamour he had placed on her earlier in the day and he made all of the swelling and bruising disappear. "I took away the visible marks because what happens between us stays between us, the other marks however will stay, you will always have my mark on you lest you forget who and what you are now and who you belong to. Now go, I'll not have a use for you until a fortnight from now, watch for my house elf Kreacher, he will fetch you to where we will be that day." At that he turned on his heel and left her alone.

The days and weeks passed, bringing with it more visits with Cygnus and increasing brutality from him. It seemed that the wait until their marriage was only serving to make him more and more ill-tempered, going as far as he was able with his hands and mouth without irreparably sullying her. It was only a matter of time until the wedding night and if his actions thus far were anything at all to go by then she was utterly doomed. She didn't know how she was going to put up with it long enough to be able to produce the heirs that he had repeatedly reminded her that was one of her sole purposes in life to produce. She didn't know how she was going to do it, only that she would, for as long as it took to make all of this worth it. Soon the day of her wedding had arrived, the preparations had all been seen to by her mother and Cygnus's sister Walburga. She hadn't cared about a single part of it, leaving it to the older women to decide on the flowers, wedding colors, food, decorations and everything else that a wedding between such notable people entailed. The only times that she had begrudgingly participated was during the dress fittings, she simply stood there, silent and agreeing with whatever her mother thought was best.

Her mother had hired a woman to come in to do Druella's hair and make-up, wanting it to be perfect for Lord Black. In spite of herself, she had to admit that her dress was breathtaking, the silver detailing gleaming in the candle light of her dressing room. The train was long and threaded through with lace made into roses and vines that seemed to almost grow up the length of her dress. The lace was overlaid on a white corset bodice that hugged her almost too tight but still managed to be modest enough that it wasn't going to show anything that Cygnus would disapprove of. The shoes were simple white heels, not meant to be seen from underneath her dress, even as she walked. The final touch was a set of jewelry that her soon-to-be husband had given her to wear for the wedding, citing that he wanted her to wear his deceased mother's emeralds in place of the simple silver pieces that her mother had chosen. The metal was a silver that looked nearly black, ornate and heavy. The earrings and matching bracelet looked and felt the same, each piece that was clasped feeling like yet another shackle being sealed on her. Her mother secured the delicate silver veil in her dark hair that had been artfully piled on her head in careful curls and ringlets, finally she was ready.

Druella's father met her at the closed door that once opened, would lead them to the altar where Cygnus stood waiting to claim her. The music started and she drew in a deep breath, steeling herself and plastering a smile on her face as the doors opened, revealing all of the guests and the Minister himself waiting beside Cygnus who looked positively gleeful at what was about to happen. Her father led down the aisle and she swore that the closer she got, the heavier the weight on her chest got and the more malice filled her soon-to-be husband's gaze. She arrived at the altar all too quickly and her father placed her hands into Cygnus's and went to sit down with her mother. Cygnus gripped her hands tight enough that she could feel the delicate bones in her hands grinding together, it was only because of how he had conditioned her the last few months that she didn't cry out at the intense pressure and pain.

The Minister cleared his throat, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here before Magic and The Goddess to join these two in holy matrimony, they will now recite their chosen vows to make this a true and permanent binding between them."

Cygnus looked into Druella's eyes with a triumphant smile and began to speak,

Adiuro ad me

Et ligabis ad me

Vita tua propter insidiatores meos

Tuum corpus, mea est

Mens tua, mea est

Vestra enim obedientia, mea est

Plene et perfecte

Omni que estis

Quod tibi

Quod eris

Mea est

Autem, Aternum, et semper

Sic fiat semper.

Each word that he spoke laid a chain over her very soul, heavy and burning with cold. Then suddenly it was time for her to say her vows and she was afraid. Swallowing, she took a deep breath and began.

Ego ligatus ad vos

Ut essem vobiscum sum ligatum

Quia vita tua

Corpus meum, tuum est

Animus meum, tuum est

Meum obsequium, tuum est

Plene et perfecte

Quod ego

Omnia quae habio

Quod ego semper erunt

Tuum est

Autem, aeternum, et semper

Sic fiat semper.

As the last word left her mouth, she felt the chains grow colder and tighter than she thought she could bear, twisting so hard she thought she was going to pass out. Finally the feeling passed but it took with it the parts of her that Cygnus would have no use for, leaving only a pliable shell behind. The rest of the wedding passed in a dull blur, nothing really registering with Druella, nothing mattering to her and nothing sinking in. It seemed as if no time had gone by but by the time she realized that her surroundings had changed, it was late, much later than she thought possible and she was in a room she didn't recognize, the dark four poster bed with it's dark green duvet as unfamiliar to her as everything else around her. It occurred to her, dully, that this must be Cygnus's room and even more distantly, that it was her wedding night. A small flare of terror cropped up but it was quickly squelched and forgotten. Just when she was starting to wonder why she was alone, she felt his warm breath on the back of her neck.

Cygnus had been watching his new wife from a comfortable armchair while he sipped a glass of firewhiskey, wanting to see if she would be able to react at all or to tell that he was even in the room. When he felt her awareness starting to spike, he rose and stalked towards her, intent on finally claiming what he had waited far too long for. He hated waiting. His hands ghosted over her still clothed body, feeling her warm curves but getting frustrated that her dress was still in the way. He raised his wand and flicked it, using a quick divesto he removed every article of clothing that she wore, leaving her completely bare to his gaze and hands. He groped and fondled her roughly, bruises rising almost instantly from the force he was using, finger marks and scratched left behind wherever his hands fell. He viciously twisted her nipples and yet, she didn't cry out, the only indication that she felt anything was a single tear rolling down her face. He was immensely pleased at what he had done and couldn't wait to get to what he hadn't yet made it to.

He grabbed Druella by the back of the hair, forced her to her knees and opened his pants and shoved his cock down her throat. He continued for what seemed an interminable amount of time, Druella's throat being ravaged to the point of being made to bleed. Cygnus came with a groan and shoved her away and towards the bed. After sipping more whiskey and allowing himself to recover, he joined his wife on the bed and spread her legs, enjoying the sight of her completely open before him. He worked his way up her legs, biting deeply enough to draw blood, wanting to mark her so that she would be able to feel and see where he had been. His onslaught didn't stop there, he trailed more bites and bruises along her sides and breasts, the blood leaking into the sheets below her. Fully hard once again, he propped her leg up on his shoulder and slid into her, hard, fast and with no remorse. There was no other word for it other than fucking, animalistic and violent, it was all about Cygnus abusing her body and taking his own sadistic pleasure. After violating her in every way possible, he left her naked in bed, curled up into herself and passed out from the hours of abuse.

Cygnus smiled to himself as he fell asleep, knowing that he had finally gotten his way and Druella was finally his.

*Latin Translation*

To me I bind

To me I tie

Your life because of mine

Your body is mine

Your mind is mine

Your obedience is mine

Fully and completely

All that you are

All that you have

All that you will be

Is mine

Now, forever and always

So mote it be.

**Adiuro ad me:**

**Et ligabis ad me:**

**Vita tua propter insidiatores meos**

**Tua est corpus meum**

**Mea est anima tua**

**Vestra enim obedientia mea**

**Plene et perfecte**

**Omnes qui estis**

**Quod tibi**

**Quod eris**

**mea est**

**Nunc et usque in aeternum semper**

**Sic fiat semper.**

To you I am bound

To you I am tied

My life because of yours

My body is yours

My mind is yours

My obedience is yours

Fully and completely

All that I am

All that I have

All that I will be

Is yours

Now, forever and always

So mote it be.

**Ego ligatus ad vos**

**Ut essem vobiscum sum ligatum**

**Quia vita tua**

**Corpus tuum**

**Tuum est anima mea**

**Meum est enim oboedientia tua**

**Plene et perfecte**

**Quod ego**

**Omnia quæ habeo,**

**Quod ego**

**tuum est**

**Nunc et usque in aeternum semper**

**Sic fiat semper.**


	4. Loss

_**Woot woot! Chapter four has arrived! I am super excited about this chapter and I think you guys are going to love it too :)**_

_**Chapter five is coming and it is the last chapter before things start moving towards "modern" times. Chapter six is going to be almost entirely Hermione centric so you all have that to look forward to. **_

_**As usual, all the cookies for Art3misiA and MarieVance :) :) :)**_

_**TW: Violence, Abuse, Child neglect, mentions of rape and other non-con.**_

_**I own nothing but my original plot and smattering of OC's. Still no money being made here. **_

The days turned into weeks and then into months, the violations and abuse continued and increased the longer that Druella went without falling pregnant with the heir that Cygnus was so desperate for. Finally, after being married for just over four months, the daily test that she was forced to undergo lit up white, indicating that her husband had finally managed to get her with child. So desperate for an heir, Cygnus did not so much as come near her for the entire duration of her pregnancy, preferring to get the owls direct from the healer that he had make weekly visits to the Black manor. And so it continued during Druella's pregnancy, months of peace and painless sleep but even through that, Druella was afraid. She logically knew that she would eventually have to give birth but she dreaded that day because she knew that she would be given very little time to recover before Cygnus resumed his almost daily assault of her. The other reason for her growing fear was that she was positive that the child she carried was not a boy, that it was not going to be the heir that her husband coveted so keenly, if that did in fact bear true, then she was afraid that she wouldn't be the only one to suffer at the hands of Lord Cygnus Black.

Cygnus sat in the corner of her private room at St. Mungos, glowering in the direction of the small pink bassinet. He finally spoke in a low tone, laced with cold fury, "I am extremely disappointed in you wife. I clearly have the superior bloodline, there is no fault in it and no shortage of strong sons produced from the Black line. Therefore it _must_ be your fault as to why you have given me a weak girl child. This is unacceptable and as soon as you have returned home, you will be returning to your duty of providing me with a son and heir." At that he stalked out of the room, slamming the door and leaving a weakened Druella alone with her now crying daughter.

Nearly six months later Cygnus made good on what he had said when their oldest daughter, who he had demanded be named Andromeda, was born and impregnated his wife. The ravages he inflicted on her after Andromeda's birth made the ones beforehand seem as gentle play but still she endured, she knew that she wasn't done yet and there was much that she would still have to go through. This time around the pregnancy was easier but she was haunted by the same fear as before and she willed the child floating in her belly to be the son that her husband demanded from her but she could feel that it would be a girl and that once again she would be subject to her husband's wrath for failing him. The months seemed to crawl by but once again it was time to bring her child into the world. She knew that her husband's disappointment and fury would be so much worse this time around just like she knew that not giving him what he wanted once again would more than likely have catastrophic consequences. But she also knew that somehow, she would find the strength to continue on and to endure. The only even remotely good thing about the vows that she had been all but forced into was that ever so small amount of relief in the fact that not all of the choice in this rested solely on her.

Druella fell to the ground, screaming in pain, her body unable to stay upright due to the weakness she felt from so recently giving birth. "Crucio!" the unforgivable rang out again and again, lighting her very bones on fire. "You useless piece of filth, you aren't even worth the rug you are laying on. How dare you give me yet another useless girl child, how dare you deprive me yet again of the heir that I deserve!" Breathing heavily, Cygnus paused in his diatribe to look towards the bassinet that held his newest daughter. A small cry emerged from the bassinet and he walked over to it and peered in, a ghost of a smile gracing his otherwise furious face at the sight of the sleeping baby with wisps of light blond hair gracing her head. "The only reason I don't simply dispose of you is that by some miracle from Merlin, this child is the very image of my late father. Unlike the pitiful excuse for a first born that you gave me, her hair and eyes, nose and lips are every inch the features of a Black. She is the only even remotely good thing that you have ever and will likely ever do for me. Unless of course, you somehow manage to produce a male heir. This child will be named Narcissa, Narcissa Irma Gemina Black, Heir Apparent to house Black." The news shocked Druella, leaving her speechless even as she tried to pull herself up off of the floor, groaning in pain. Cygnus eyed her as she sat up and leaned against the bed, "Clean yourself up and prepare to go home. Kreacher will be by shortly to fetch your things and those of Narcissa, he will then return for you both. You have until then to ready yourself. I expect there to be no delays." Cygnus left the room with his last order still hanging in the air and a still dumbfounded Druella clinging to the bottom baseboard of the bed.

The months passed with Andromeda and Narcissa growing like weeds, both of them lovely children but with Narcissa being doted upon by everyone around her, Andromeda began to fall by the wayside. Months turned into years and the years passed with no indication of Druella conceiving again and eventually, even Cygnus's interest in her and that oh so coveted male heir. Such a long time had passed that Druella had been lulled into a sense of peace that she didn't think she would ever have being married to Cygnus. It had been years, since her older daughter had turned six, that her husband had felt the need to bestow one of his violent visits on her and she had gotten to the point where she didn't jump every time that her bedroom door opened. The time finally arrived for Andromeda to attend Hogwarts but as much as Druella was going to miss her eldest daughter, she was happy that she was finally going to have the chance to make friends and get a little bit out from under her father's thumb. Cygnus didn't bother attending to taking Andromeda off to the Hogwarts Express and neither did he allow her mother to go. He sent her along with his house elf Gossy and a heavily laden warning to not allow herself to be sorted into anything but Slytherin. The first few months of the school year passed uneventfully, with regular letters from Andromeda, updating her parents on her progress and in school happenings. She was of course sorted into Slytherin (no Black ever got sorted elsewhere) and was quickly passing her classmates grades with flying colors. It was during the Summer holidays that the lives of the entire Black family changed forever.

Andromeda was home on Summer hols and was going down to have tea with her mother and her sister when she heard a crash coming from the parlour. She darted the rest of the way down the stairs and into the parlour to find her mother unconscious on the floor with a shattered teacup inches from her outstretched hand. She rushed over to her and fell to her knees next to her mother with tears streaming down her face. "Mum, wake up, please wake up!" she shook her mother but to no avail. Her cries drew her younger sister into the room.

"Dromeda! What is going on? What happened to mummy?"

Andromeda looked up at her sister, her tears blurring her vision, "I don't know Cissa, but you need to go get grandfather. Father won't be back from Glasgow until tomorrow."

Narcissa stared down at her sister and mother with a fearful look on her face, "Go get grandfather? How, you know Father locks up my wand when he's not home!"

She wiped the tears from her face, "The floo Cissa! You know that the floo to grandfather's house is always open, so go, we need help for mum!"

At that Narcissa ran to the fireplace and stood on her tiptoes to reach her hand into the small container that held the floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace, lighting the flames bright green. She called out the name of her grandfathers manor and stepped through the flames. Landing on her knees on the other side, she coughed several times from the ash coating her from her trip before she could call out for her grandfather. She stood and tried to brush herself off, calling out as she did so. "Grandfather! Grandfather! Where are you!"

Her grandfather strode into the room with a concerned look on his face, "Narcissa darling, what are you doing here? And alone nonetheless? Where is your mother?"

She ran to him and hugged him tight before looking up at him with tears in her steel blue eyes, "Mumma fell, Grandfather. Dromeda is with her but she won't wake up, please come help!"

Rubellus pulled her close and picked her up, "Don't worry little one, I'll take care of your mother, don't you worry." He whistled and a house elf in a clean white sheet popped into the room. "Fossy, Lord Cygnus Black is in conference in Glasgow, go and let him know that his wife has fallen ill and that I am attending to her care. He will find her at St. Mungos." The elf nodded and disappeared with a small pop. Rubellus went to the fireplace and took Narcissa back to her home where her sister and mother waited.

The following day, Druella woke up in a hospital bed by a nurse setting down a tray of potions on the side table next to the bed. She groggily raised her hand to grab the nurses arm, "W-what happened, why am I in the hospital?"

The nurse looked at her in surprise, "Oh! Lady Black! You're awake! Let me go get Healer Bainbridge and he will fill you in on everything." With that, the nurse nearly ran from the room, almost knocking down a vase of flowers that had been placed near the door. Druella waited for what seemed like hours, slowly coming out of her stupor as she studied her surroundings. She didn't have any injuries and wasn't sore anywhere so she was sure that it hadn't been a surprise encounter with Cygnus. Just as she was about to try to get up from the bed, a tall, thin man with merry eyes entered the room.

"Lady Black! I am thrilled to see you awake, we were beginning to worry a bit. Now that you're awake, we can run a few more diagnostics and likely release you so that you can go back to your home and rest there, I'm sure that you're eager to do so." He raised his wand to start the diagnostic spells when Druella raised her hand to stop him.

"I appreciate what you're trying to do Healer Bainbridge, but why am I in the hospital to begin with, I see no injuries and I feel no pain. So, please, be so kind as to explain what brought me here."

The Healer looked at her with a sheepish look on his face, "I do apologize Lady Black, I certainly should have led with that. Well, I would say that congratulations are definitely in order, you're pregnant!" He said the last with a smile on his face, clearly expecting her to be happy about the news.

All the color drained from her face, she couldn't be pregnant.

Her mind was reeling with the Healers words echoing in her head. How could she possibly be pregnant again? Cygnus hadn't touched her in years and not only did her vows prevent her from transgressing against her husband, she had no interest in anything to do with the more carnal aspects of life. She was drawing a complete blank. She turned to the Healer, "I apologize for my rudeness, but as you can see, I was not expecting this news. I've been under the impression that I was done having children for years now If I'm being perfectly honest."

Healer Bainbridge gave her a quizzical look, "Forgive me if I'm overstepping my Lady, but are you absolutely sure that you didn't know about this? That's quite a long time to be unaware of a pregnancy."

Druella stared at him in confusion, "A long time you say? Exactly how far along am I, surely not more than a month or two?"

The Healer looked at her with concern, "Lady Black, you are full term and have been admitted for delivery per your Lord husband. You're set to be relieved of the child by way of a cesarean section later this evening."

The shock overwhelmed Druella and her vision began to fill with black spots as her breathing accelerated. The last thing that she was aware of was the muddled voice of the Healer laced with concern while trying to keep her awake. It wasn't until hours later that she regained consciousness and a wave of pain flooded through her midsection, radiating out from the lower part of her belly. She slowly pulled the sheet down off of her upper body and gently probed her midsection, hissing in pain as she touched the dressing covering it. Letting he hand fall back onto the covers she reached for the bell sitting on the bedside table to summon someone so that she could find out what had happened. Before the small echo from the bell had even faded from the air, the Healer from before she had passed out came through the door with a small bundle in his hands. "I am thrilled to see that you're awake Lady Black, I had thought you wouldn't awake until tomorrow but now that you are we can get some more potions into you to speed your recovery. I also have someone here that would very much like to meet you." At that he walked forward and set the bundle in her arms.

Druella looked down into the face of her newest child, her tiny and unexpected daughter and instantly fell in love. She loved her other daughters, yes, but the feelings that filled her at the sight of this little one completely dwarfed those in a way that she hadn't thought possible. She stroked her small face with a fingertip, marvelling at the softness of it, at the way the lashes sat on rosy pink cheeks. She placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead and looked up at Healer Bainbridge. "It would be lovely if you could fill me in on the events that led to my daughters birth. I wake up here after being unconscious for over a day and then when you unceremoniously drop a particularly hard piece of news on me. And then I wake up again and I am relieved of my child. What am I missing here Healer Bainbridge?"

He folded his hands behind his back and grimaced. "From what I understand it all happened like so. You passed out at home where your older daughters found you. Then, one of them flooed your father and he brought you here. You were unconscious so we contacted Lord Black to inquire as to what he would like us to do. Shortly thereafter he sent an owl to the Head Healer with instructions on how to proceed with your care and what he wanted done afterwards. He specified that you had been seen by a private healer and that your due date was today but that you were going to have to have a cesarean section instead of a normal birth as he was concerned that you were going to have a difficult time with it all. Unfortunately, he was correct and even with the interventions in place your internal reproductive organs were damaged beyond what we were able to repair. We were able to safely deliver your daughter but Lady Black, I am sorry to say that you are unable to carry any more children. That little girl is your and Lord Black's last child."

The words sat heavy in Druella's heart, on the one hand she was thrilled because she knew that if she could not give him the son he had always wanted, that he would never touch her again but on the other, she knew that his wrath would be unparalleled. Regardless of that, she knew that she would keep this little one safe no matter what. "I see. Did my Lord Husband leave any other instructions regarding this?"

Bainbridge nodded, "Yes, my Lady, he did. He advised us to make sure that you were completely recovered and then to make sure of your return home. He also said that the burden of naming the child rested with you as he didn't care to be bothered with it but that you had to have that taken care of before you returned home."

Druella sighed deeply. "I understand. Well, at least I can comply with one of his requests at the moment. The other will have to wait at least until the potions you have there have had a chance to work." She fell silent and looked back down at her daughter, "This little one will be named Bellatrix. Bellatrix Oriana Nova Black, my beautiful little warrior."

Bainbridge smiled and momentarily took little Bellatrix while Druella drank the potions that he had brought for her. Once they were all consumed, a bedside bassinet was brought to the room and the baby was placed inside it. He saw that Druella was falling asleep so he waved the wand to dim the lights and quietly exited the room. A while later, Druella was woken up out of a deep sleep by a small noise coming from the bassinet next to her bed. She rolled over and was surprised to see Albus Dumbledore of all people leaning over her new daughter. "Albus! What are you doing here! Were you seen? She snorted, "Of course you weren't, it is you after all. Well, I'm assuming that you have a reason for being here in the middle of the night so out with it, I have a very long day ahead of me and I would like to get back to sleep if at all possible."

Dumbledore looked at her with sad eyes, "While I won't say that I am sad to see you, I am not here for the happiest of reasons." He reached into the pocket of his cloak and pulled out a small orb that was glowing brighter than the last time that Druella had laid eyes on it so many years ago.

She raised her eyes to him, a fearful look on her face, "Does that mean what I think it does Albus? Is Bellatrix…" Her words died, she was unable to complete the sentence and silence filled the small room.

Albus looked at her gravely and sighed, "Unfortunately yes my dear. The smallest of your children is the one that has the biggest burden to bear. The prophecy does not have all of its players yet though, that is the only reason why I am still able to remove it from the hall of prophecies and why the glow is still as dim as it is. Things have been set into motion with her birth Druella, things that cannot be stopped. We can only hope that what we do now is enough to turn the tide. You know what has to happen now, you know what must be done and the part that you have to play in it."

Tears started rolling freely down Druella's face, beginning to soak the nightgown and the sheets that covered her. "It broke my heart then but it is destroying me now. I had foolishly thought that maybe, just maybe that it would pass me by, that it would all be ok and that I wouldn't have to play this role in the life of one of my children. But now you're here and it's all true and it's all coming at once and I… I will do what is required of me but I will need this night. Just this night Albus, to see her and love her the way that I will never again be able to. Just these last few hours so that I have something to hold on to during the moments when there will be nothing but pain from this."

Dumbledore nodded, "I understand my dear and I will leave you to it. I will be back just before dawn and we will finish things then."

Not bothering to acknowledge what he had said or that he was leaving, Druella kept her gaze on Bellatrix, staring at her and memorizing every little detail of her face that she could, imprinting the feeling of her almost not there weight and warmth in her arms and the smell that only new babies seemed to have. After what seemed to be the longest time, Druella spoke, telling her tiny daughter everything that she would never again be able to, telling her how much she loved her and how sorry she was for everything and how much she so desperately wished that things could be different. Hours later but still all too soon for Druella's shattered heart, Dumbledore slipped back into the room, face set with determination. She looked up at him and nodded, "I'm ready."

Dumbledore reached for the child and held her in his arms, "I am so sorry little one, forgive us."

He began to wave his wand in a complicated pattern over her head and spoke the words that would break her.

_**Crescere in odium, amor tardatur**_

_**Levi dolor et dimisit extinguetur**_

_**Cordis celatur, fractum est anima mea**_

_**Fragmenta dispersit**_

_**Tantum optima cura tibi vincula et maxime ad id pervenit:**_

_**Omne iter dextra capta et non deficient**_

He sighed heavily and handed the child back to her mother. "It is done, the child's fate is now sealed beyond any intervention. I will take my leave now, there is much that must be done."

He moved to leave but Druella's voice stopped him. "Dumbledore, wait." She drew her wand and transfigured a flower from the vase next to her into a small vial with a sealing top. She placed the tip of her wand next to her temple and drew out a long silver string and allowed it to flow into the vial. Once she was done she sealed the vial and handed it to him. "Take this, please? If all goes the way that we so desperately want it to and you both survive what is to come then give it to her, she deserves to know."

Dumbledore nodded gravely, took the vial and left the room without a further word.

She arrived home some hours later to no reception and no fanfare. She wasn't expecting any if she was honest with herself but she thought that at least Andromeda and Narcissa would have been there. No matter though, she would introduce them to their little sister at a later time. She slowly made her way upstairs to the room where Bellatrix would be spending the vast portion of her formative years and beyond. Arriving at it, Druella opened the door and called for her house elf Leedle. The grey creature popped into the room and bowed, "Mistress summons Leedle, Leedle comes. What is Leedle to be doing Mistress?"

"I need this room outfitted with a crib, a changing table and the other bare necessities, nothing more and nothing less. You are now in charge of my child Bellatrix, neither I nor Lord Black wish to have anything to do with her beyond what is absolutely necessary. You will feed, bathe and clothe her as well as take care of her early instruction when she reaches that age, I do not wish to be involved unless she has suffered a life threatening injury or she has done something that could potentially shame our house. Is that understood?"

Leedle stared with wide eyes, wondering why this child was being treated so differently that the other Black children but she quickly nodded, "Yes Mistress, Leedle will be doing as you says Mistress."

Druella gave a curt nod and left the room, leaving a sleeping baby and a bewildered house elf behind.

Later that night Druella waited in her room, knowing that any moment now, her husband would be home and there would be a reckoning for how she had failed him. The minutes ticked by, sounding loud in her head, echoing against her fear. Finally the handle turned and she drew in a breath, bracing herself for what was heading her way. Cygnus strode into the room, a look of dark fury etched deep into his features. "Do you have anything to say? Is there any attempt at a defense for your staggering incompetence? Do you have any idea, any idea at all what you've cost me, what you have cost the house of Black? Because of you I lost my place as Head of the Black family and that now rests in my brother Orion's hands, your failure has cost me everything. And for that you'll pay."

Cygnus raised his wand and pointed it at Druella, casting curse after curse, flaying her skin and shattering her bones. When she fell unconscious from the pain, Cygnus merely forced potions down her throat and began anew. For hours he went on like this, causing her as much pain as he possibly could without causing her permanent harm or death. Not until he was exhausted and sweat was rolling down his brow did he stop his assault on his wife. Breathing heavily, he stored his wand and nudged Druella's battered form where it lay, bleeding heavily onto the rug underneath her. Grimacing he spat on her, "You are no longer of any use beyond being a mother to the pitiful excuses for children you have provided me, and to attend to the tasks that are beneath the man of the house. You may seek healing for anything life threatening and anything visible. Otherwise, you will heal slowly and without any aid or I will do worse and you will be left with no recourse or relief, do you understand?" A barely intelligible "Yes." emerged from beneath him and he smiled. "Good. Maybe you'll be able to handle this without irreversibly mucking it up. I had thought that keeping all of it from you, that getting you pregnant and hiding it all from you would make a difference and that I would get my son but no, something in you just had to subvert my wishes and ruin it all." Without anything further, he left the room, leaving his nearly unconscious wife still laying on the floor.

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Druella never fully recovered from that night, never fully healed the wounds that Cygnus had inflicted on her. No matter what she did, or what potion she took, there was always some kind of pain from that night running through her bones. Her daughters quickly learned that their mother was not the same and that they couldn't hug her as tight and that she wouldn't ever move as quickly as she had before. They also learned that their father was even quicker to anger than ever before so they stayed out of his way. The only exception to any of this was Narcissa, she could do almost no wrong in her parents eyes, getting away with things that her other two sisters would have been beaten for.

Even as a child, Narcissa was a golden child, beautiful and untouchable. Her older sister Andromeda was equally as beautiful but her darker beauty was seated in her smile and her kindness. Where Andromeda was first to help another person in need or to offer a kind word, Narcissa always remained cold and aloof, especially as she grew older. The surprise birth of her baby sister didn't help matters, even though Bellatrix was neglected and left out of almost everything that she and Andromeda were able to do. She had no use and less time for her squalling baby sister even with as little of her as she saw, thankfully neither she nor Andromeda would have to go to Hogwarts with the little beast. Andromeda played with her sister, briefly taking over the duties that had been assigned to Leedle whenever her parents were not present, cherishing the stolen moments with her tiny, defenseless baby sister.

The next several years passed like this, with the only affection that Bellatrix received being the small, stolen moments with Andromeda, those being even scarcer during the time that Andromeda was at school. It was during those times that things were the worst for Bellatrix, the times that she was left alone at home. Bellatrix managed to stay out of her mother's and father's way for the most part but her yearning for attention and affection and belonging sometimes got her into more trouble than she had bargained for. It was during one such instance that Bellatrix learned how she had been conceived. She was newly turned seven years old and she was playing in a quiet corner of the house library with a few dolls that her sister Andromeda had rescued for her for her birthday when she heard voices coming from the other end of the room. Curious, she got up and hid behind the bookshelf nearest where the voices that she heard were coming from. Once she was tucked away in an empty part of the bottom shelf, she realized that one of the voices was her father. "I'll say Abraxas, that boy of yours, Lucius, he is cutting quite the figure with the girls at Hogwarts, thank heaven for contraceptive spells and potions or you might have a bevy of bastards with white blond hair."

Abraxas Malfoy chuckled in a low voice, "Yes, yes, Lucius does get around but he's a healthy young wizard, having fun while he is young is expected I would think. He does have his eye on one witch in particular though."

"Oh does he now my friend? And who exactly would that be?"

Abraxas smiled, "Narcissa of course Cygnus, everyone knows that she is the most beautiful and desired witch at Hogwarts. She just turns every single boy down that goes after her is all. Could it be possible that she is holding a torch for him? It would certainly make things quite a bit easier I would think."

Cygnus stared at his friend with a thoughtful look on his face. "Right you are my friend and that _would_ be quite the advantageous match for us both. This upcoming holiday break is the last that the seventh years will have before graduating, what do you say to having a ball and if everything goes well, we can announce their engagement."

Abraxas nodded in agreement, "That sounds like a splendid plan Cygnus! They will make a fine pair and will undoubtedly be credits to both our houses. A shame though, that your eldest has displayed such… unfortunate tastes. It is a credit to your strength and ability to appropriately punish that she has turned from that mudblood and back under your rule. I know that you have a more suitable match set for her barring any more unpleasantness. That being said, what about your youngest, do you have any prospects for her as of yet?"

Cygnus grimaced. "Not hardly, neither I nor her mother have had much influence or effect on the girl. Sadly she was simply a last ditch effort on my part to get a male heir on my wife. Though I will say, it was not for lack of trying and in spite of everything, it was quite an amusing way to pass the time."

The older man looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Oh? Do tell my friend."

With a smirk, Cygnus began to relate how Bellatrix had been conceived. "After the first two failures, I began to rack my brain on how best to ensure that I got what I wanted and needed but kept on drawing nothing but a blank. Then I came across an old dark magic text from the 1100s that spoke of a way that could bend the witch in question. Some of the parts were faded with time so I was forced to improvise with a few newer spells but the results seemed the same. I used a combination of the imperius curse along-side some well placed dark glamours to use my wife at all the optimal times while she was completely unaware of anything going on. I kept her memories of everything bound so that I would be able to ensure that my control over her was absolute and that I would better be able to get the outcome that I wanted. Unfortunately, the years passed and nothing happened, not only did I not get my heir, I got nothing at all. I had nearly given up on getting anything from her when I discovered she was pregnant. I had to drastically reinforce the glamours on her but I managed to hide it all from her until the day that she gave birth. Unfortunately, despite all of my efforts, she still had another useless female. I never wanted the child and still don't but I couldn't very well get rid of it, no sense in wasting any pureblood, no matter how pathetic it may be. And the worst part about it all? The birth was apparently so bloody traumatic that she was unable to carry ever again."

Abraxas shook his head, "I'm not sure how you put up with all of that, I for one am glad that I was able to get a boy out of Viola. I wouldn't have agreed with the match had I known what a nattering fool that she would turn out to be." He sighed deeply, "I will have to owl you for a time for us to get together again my friend, I have some matters to attend to in London and I am very nearly late as it is."

Bellatrix heard the sound of her father and his friend leave the library and tears started rolling down her face. She had never been wanted and she never would be wanted by the two people that she most desired affection from. Her small body shook with silent sobs as her little heart broke into a thousand pieces. After several minutes, she left her hiding spot and set herself to rights. She decided then and there that she would try her hardest, no matter what, to somehow prove to her parents that she wasn't a waste of space, that she could be of some use to them. She would do everything they said, go where they wanted, dress how they wanted and she wouldn't whine or whinge about anything ever again. She would be the best-behaved child that anyone had ever seen, quiet, respectful and studious, always striving to be the best that she could be so that she would never bring shame to her parents or her house. Her black curls bouncing, she made her way out of the library so she could find Leedle and start her plan.

**Latin Translation**

Hate will grow, love be shackled Pain released and light be snuffed Heart be hidden, soul fractured Broken pieces scattered Only the truest bonds will heal, the truest will prevail Right path taken or all will fail


	5. Descent

**_After a huge delay due to moving to another country, finding out that my MiL has cancer and getting my health and mental health a bit more in order, I bring you all True Bonds Chapter 5. This chapter is brought to you by way of help from the lovely mrs.eckard who is an absolute goddess._**

**_*Rape and violence TW for this chapter._**

* * *

Several weeks later, Bellatrix was looking through the house, looking for her sister Andromeda because she wanted to show her a new book that she had gotten the day before. It was a book of in depth descriptions of all of the known XXXXX creatures in the wizarding world and it was one of the most exciting books she had ever laid hands on. She found the library empty as well as the kitchen and the parlour, mildly frustrated, she went upstairs to her sister's room to see if she was there before she went out to the garden to search for her there. Bellatrix knocked on the door to Andromeda's room and waited but heard nothing. Opening the door she peered inside, not seeing anything, she walked inside to see if maybe her sister was taking a nap. She walked in and looked around, seeing the bed and the bathroom empty she turned to the desk to leave her sister a note in case she wasn't at home at all. She grabbed a quill off of the upper part of the desk and popped open the inkwell. She realized that she didn't have a piece of parchment so she opened one of the smaller drawers to grab some when she saw a tightly rolled piece of parchment tucked way into the upper corner of the drawer. In fact, if she hadn't been at just the right angle, she wouldn't have seen it at all. Setting down the quill, she reached back into the crevice, nearly straining her fingers in an effort to get at it. With a little scraping, she pulled out the little roll and with a little hesitation, she opened it and began to read.

Her jaw dropped as she read each line, the shock of it overtaking her and blinding her to any sounds or happenings around her. She knew her sister had been quite taken with a mudblood named Ted Tonks during their Hogwarts years but she had been positive that her father had made sure that her sister and that boy would never see each other again. But if what she was reading was right, not only had she not stopped seeing him but they had plans to continue to see each other and Andy was going to break her engagement with Rabastan Lestrange so she could be with him. Bellatrix quickly shoved the excess parchment back in the drawer, taking the small roll of parchment with her but forgetting her book in her haste and fled to her room. She ran into her closet and curled up onto her side. How would she possibly deal with this? On the one hand she loved her sister dearly and wanted her to be happy. But on the other, she had the honor and well-being of her house and name to think of. When this came out and if her father found out that Bellatrix had known and not told him, there would be so much hell to pay. She sat there for hours, agonizing over what to do when finally, she knew what she had to do.

A little while later she stood in front of her father with the rolled parchment clutched tightly in her fist. "Father, I.."

Cygnus didn't bother looking up from the papers he was reading on his desk "Well, spit it out child, I have more important things to do than to waste time listening to your blubbering."

Bellatrix swallowed hard and drew a deep breath. "I was looking for parchment because I was going to leave Andromeda a note in her room and I found this when I opened the drawer that the parchment was in. I read it and now I've brought it to you father, I didn't know what else to do with it."

At that her father looked up with a curious look on his face and reached out his hand, "Well give it here then, I'll be the judge of what needs to be done." He snatched the roll from her hand and read it, his face darkening with each word. "You will sit here and wait with me for your sister to return home and then this aberration will be dealt with."

Bellatrix sat in one of the chairs facing her father's desk and they waited, the minutes ticking by slowly, making the time drag. Finally, after what seemed like hours, they heard the front door open and shut. Soft footsteps sounded, making their way past the closed doors of the study when Cygnus called out, "Andromeda, come here." The footsteps stopped and the handle turned and Andromeda stepped inside the room.

"Yes fath-" Before she could even get the whole word out she was met with pain greater than anything she had ever felt before, it lit up her veins with sheer fiery agony, her bones felt as if they were all being shattered and put back together all at once. Just before she lost her battle against unconsciousness, the pain stopped and she lay groaning on the floor. Slowly getting to her knees, she looked at her father. "Father… What have I done to deserve this?"

He sneered at her, "Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out, that you would be able to keep such a secret from me? How long have you been rutting with that filthy mudblood? How long have you been spitting in my face and on the name of House Black?" His voice rose with each question until he was red in the face and shouting at her.

Andromeda did not cower, she rose to her feet and met his gaze with her own. "Ted is no more filth than you or I father. Yes, I have been seeing him behind your and mother's backs and yes, I have given myself to him. I would sooner die than to give myself over in marriage to the likes of Rabastan Lestrange. I chose Ted and I would choose him every single time no matter what and no matter any possible consequence. It's him I love and him I will be with, no matter what you say or do father." During her impassioned words, her hand had come to rest on her still flat stomach and her father's eyes traveled down to rest there as well.

Cygnus's eyes widened and without acknowledging her words, he whipped out his wand and cast the curses that would alter the course of Bellatrix's life. "Exradico! Terminus Familia!"

Breathing heavily Cygnus lowered his wand and spat on Andromeda's still trembling body, "That mongrel growing in your belly is no more and your precious mudblood's line will end with him because even if by some miracle you manage to conceive again, you will never have a son. Now, get out, you are no longer any child of mine nor are you a part of this house. You name will be stricken from the family tree and you will leave with nothing but your wand and what you are wearing."

At his words, Andromeda somehow managed to find the strength to stagger to her feet and she made her way to the door, blood dripping down her legs on to the floor, making a trail behind her. She looked behind her only once and she met the eyes of her little sister. All she could do was look at her with a broken hearted look in her eyes and a question on her lips, "Why?" without another word, she turned and with a head held high, left her family home.

Bellatrix turns to face her father and is met with a vicious backhand to the face that knocked her to the floor. Cygnus stood over her with a look of contempt on his face, "You snivelling little rat. How dare you turn on your own flesh and blood, how dare you turn on your betters. Instead of demonstrating solidarity and loyalty to your sister, you subjected her to what I was just forced to do." Cygnus kicked her, over and over in the ribs, continuing even after he heard multiple cracks. "Clean yourself up and get to your room. I don't want to see you until I have been able to forget what happened tonight."

He strode out of the room, leaving Bellatrix semi-conscious on the floor of his study.

As Bellatrix slowly healed, she was plagued with thoughts of worthlessness and guilt. How could she have been so stupid? Why didn't she just leave the note where she found it? If she hadn't meddled then Andy would still be here and everything would still be the same. There were only a couple more years until Bellatrix would be able to escape to the relative safety and freedom of Hogwarts so she would just need to keep her head down and stay out of sight until then.

In the weeks following Andromeda's banishment, Narcissa grew increasingly colder towards everyone that wasn't either her father or her eventual intended, Lucius Malfoy. Before Narcissa merely tolerated Bella, usually choosing to ignore her but now she acted as though her baby sister just didn't exist, only acknowledging her barest existence when propriety demanded it. The ball that the Lords Malfoy and Black had organized drew close and the preparations were nearly complete. Everything was going as they wanted and the idea of a marriage between the two families was no longer just an idea. It was the perfect match and the wedding would be the height of a pureblood society event. The ball came and went with Bella of course not allowed to attend and to the surprise of no one, the engagement of Miss Narcissa Irma Gemina Black to the heir of the Malfoy blood-line, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy was now set in stone. The impending nuptials were set for the thirtieth of November of that year, a mere six months after they both graduated from Hogwarts.

The wedding came and went, a fantastic spectacle of pureblooded aristocracy. Bella only allowed to attend only to avoid questions that Cygnus had no desire to answer. Narcissa had been resplendent in her wedding dress, the perfect demure pureblood bride, Cygnus knew that she would do her houses proud. The next couple of years passed and still there was no sign of the Malfoy heir. Cygnus hoped that his favorite child didn't inherit his wife's unfortunate inability to bear sons. That would put a decidedly awkward strain on the relationship between houses Black and Malfoy. Some time after this, Cygnus summoned Bellatrix and Leedle to his study. They entered and waited patiently to learn why they had been summoned. Finally, Lord Black pulled out a bag and set it down on the desk with a soft clink. "This holds the exact amount necessary for the purchase of everything that Bellatrix that will need for Hogwarts, it has been counted to the last knut so there can be no deviation. Leedle, you will accompany Bellatrix to Diagon Alley to take care of the school purchases and you will bring her back the second she is finished, I expect no dawdling and no superfluous purchases. Is that understood?"

Leedle nodded with wide eyes, "Yes Master Cygnus, Leedle will do as Leedle is told."

Cygnus turned to face Bellatrix, "You will go only to the places necessary for your school shopping, you will not deviate from this, you will not tarry in any one place and you will not speak to anyone beyond what is absolutely required of you. Is that understood?"

Bella swallowed hard, "Yes father, it will be as you say."

Her father dismissed them with a wave of his hand, "Get to it then, I want this done today."

Without anything further, they left the study to go about the errands that they had been set to.

Hours later Bella had been to every shop she needed, save one. She stood in front of the entrance to Ollivanders simply staring at the door knowing that she was about to get her wand. She felt a small nudge on her arm and she looked down to see Leedle staring up at her.

"Miss Bella, we must be hurrying, Master Cygnus be waiting and doesn't like to be doing a long wait or be in trouble we will."

Bella nodded down at him, "I don't think I'll be long Leedle, just this last bit and we will be going home." At that she entered into the shop. The small bell on the top of the door rang as she made her way inside, taking in the sights of a small front counter and dust covered boxes haphazardly strewn almost everywhere behind it. A short man with a shock of white hair sticking up every which way came out from behind a shelf and smiled warmly at her.

"Why if it isn't the youngest Black sister! I remember when your sisters came in for their wands, Andromeda had a Cedar wand, 9 and inches in length, reasonably pliant with a unicorn hair as the core. Narcissa was matched with a Hornbeam wand, rigid, 11 and inches in length with a dragon heartstring core. Good wands, the both of them. Now, let's see what wand will choose you today." At that Ollivander turned and pulled several wand boxes of differing lengths and set them down onto the counter. Bellatrix approached and began to lift the wands out of their boxes, eager to finally have her wand. The first reacted badly, stinging her hand and causing her to drop it back in the box, the second only gave a few half hearted sparks and the third and fourth did nothing at all. Ollivander frowned at her and brought out one last box. As soon as she touched the box she knew that something was different this time. She opened the box and pulled the wand out and a warm shower of silver sparks shot from the tips which brought a smile to her face.

"Your wand is special Miss Black, 12 and inches, walnut with a dragon heartstring core. The curious thing about it is that that I harvested two heart strings from that particular dragon, it was a particularly large Ukranian Iron Belly female. She surprisingly died of old age. The other heart string however, is in a Vinewood wand that has yet to be claimed. And I think that it won't be for some time yet."

She realized that more time than she thought had passed and she knew she had to get home. She handed the remaining galleons to Ollivander and thanked him and left the shop with her new wand.

She returned home and went to see her father while Leedle stored her purchases. Entering his study, she pulled out her new wand and set it on his desk. He eyed it carefully, then picked it up and turned it around in his hands. "Well, it seems as though you may have finally done something right for once in your wretched life. This is a fine wand, finer than many that I've seen in recent years. I see that Ollivander still does excellent work." He stood up and placed her wand in a long, thin box on a shelf that stood behind his desk. "As you have no need of this until the day you leave for Hogwarts, it will remain locked in my office until then. Under no circumstances are you be anywhere near it when you are not at school, is that understood?"

Bella nodded and left the room to go pack her trunk for start of term in just a few weeks.

After Bella's arrival at Hogwarts, she was sorted into Slytherin but was not readily accepted by her new house mates. Through her first several years, she was isolated and left alone by most of her peers, due in part to her family name and also to the fact that she was leaps and bounds ahead of the other students in her year and even some in the years above her. Her best subjects were Charms, Transfiguration and Defense against the Dark Arts with a small emphasis on the latter two. It was in her Charms class however, that she met Melina, a tall and willowy red headed Ravenclaw with the bluest eyes that Bella had ever seen. Melina was the only person that could challenge her in class, often times they were neck and neck in answering questions during Professor Brattles lectures and lessons, each one vying to remain in the top position in the class. It was after once such class that they had gotten into a heated argument about the validity of the answer that they had each given on one of the moving staircases, their quickly escalating voices echoing off of the stone.

"The correct pronunciation of the charm is Harmonia Nec-te-re Passus, not Harmonia Nec-tee-re Passus! If you don't correctly enunciate then you'll end up causing the object you are trying to repair to basically self destruct and be useless!"

Bellatrix groaned in frustration, "You absolutely daft bint, I know that the enunciation and pronunciation matter, that's not the problem, the problem is tha-" her words were cut off by Melina's lips pressing against her own, the shock of it silencing any further protests that she may have had. Melina pushed her up against the wall behind them, her hands tangling in Bella's thick black curls. After a few minutes, Bella pushed Melina away from her, her face flushed with surprise and desire. Raising her hand to her swollen lips she looked at Melina with emotions warring in her dark brown eyes. Melina started to reach for her, but Bella shook her off and fled, leaving the taller girl alone with her thoughts. Bella managed to avoid Melina for the next few days, getting one of her housemates to copy the lessons and assignments from the lessons that she had with Melina. It wasn't until the Friday after the kiss had happened that Melina finally managed to track Bella down in a quiet corner of the library.

"Bella, can we talk?"

Bella's head snapped up, her eyes wide, "Why? What is there to talk about?"

"Bellatrix, don't be dense, you know damn well what we need to talk about and I'll be buggered if I let you leave before we talk and work this through." With that Melina cast a series of spells for privacy and concealment and then sat down across from Belltrix and shoved the books in front of her out of their way so that there wasn't anything between them.

Bellatrix glared at the red head, "Fine. Talk then if it's so damn important to you."

Melina sighed. "Look Bella, I know that we have been at odds for a long time but at least on my side, it was because of the fact that I was jealous of you. Here I am, an orphaned mudblood who has had to fight tooth and nail for everything I have here. Every single bit of knowledge that I have has been learned on my own. I score where and how I do because of my hard work. Then you come in and seem to simply demolish my work and my efforts as if they were made of the thinnest parchment. I thought that it was just because you were a pureblood, you had the best of everything and you didn't have to work for anything. But then I started noticing things about you, the way that you grin when you've figured out something particularly difficult, the way that your nose crinkles just so when you're studying and the way your eyes sparkle when you know you've gotten the best score in the class on an exam. I could go on and on Bellatrix, but the point is that I've fallen for you and fallen hard. Now I just want to know if I have overstepped or if there is even a remotely small chance that you feel the same."

Bellatrix stared at Melina with her jaw agape. Shock didn't even begin to cover what she was feeling after hearing what Melina had to say, the idea that someone loved her was so foreign to her that she had a hard time comprehending even the idea of it. "You've fallen in love with me? You, of all people should understand that that is impossible. If anyone found out about that, we would both suffer severe consequences. Do you understand that? Are you ready to risk everything and then some for this, for me?"

Melina reached across the table and took Bella's hands in hers, "I think you're worth it Bella, that and more but, I didn't hear an answer in all of that. I need to know Bella, if your answer is yes then I will do what I can to make you happy for as long as I am able. If your answer is no then I will walk away and we can both forget this, and the kiss, ever happened. But, like I said, I need to know."

Bella looked at her with an unnamed emotion flooding her eyes and pulled her hands from Melina's and got up from the table, causing a pain filled sigh to pass from the other girls lips. "I understand Bella, I promise to leave you be from now on." Melina stood and moved to leave the corner of the library where they had been sitting when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You daft bint, of course the answer is yes. All of that was just the reasons why we shouldn't. I never said that we shouldn't." Bellatrix then pulled Melina to her, kissing her until they both forgot themselves.

For months they reveled in each other, taking the small bits of time that they could to explore their budding love and relationship but being careful to keep it hidden until they both graduated. They put together a plan to move to the States and to change their names so that they could live alone and happy and far from their families and any other unwelcome intrusion or oppression. For Bellatrix, this meant that she would finally be able to get out from under her father's thumb and away from her mother's apathy. For Melina, it meant that she would finally be able to have a family and she could be happy. But unbeknownst to them, something malevolent was in store for them both. They had less than half of their last year at Hogwarts left and were getting ready to leave the school for Summer break but had taken a few hours off from packing to spend some time together and finalize parts of their plans. They were curled up together in a remote corner of the grounds, under their favorite tree, just enjoying each others company while they had it before they both went to their respective homes for the summer. What they didn't know was that they were being watched by someone who had been watching them for months and that bore them both nothing but ill will.

Bella had only been home for a few days when she was once again summoned to her father's study. She entered to find that he was not alone, a tall, dark haired man was sitting at the desk across from her father and both were holding cut crystal glasses half filled with a dark amber liquid. Cygnus looked up at her and motioned her forward. "Bellatrix, I would like you to meet Lord Rasmus Lestrange, he is here at my request as you will be marrying his eldest son, Rodolphus after you both graduate Hogwarts next year and he wanted to formally meet his soon to be daughter-in-law."

Bellatrix's heart dropped to her feet and the blood drained from her face. She stood, silent as the seconds ticked by and both men looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to say something, to be thankful for the supposed "gift" that she had been given. But the words stuck in her throat and she was unable to utter a single word.

"It seems the girl has been struck dumb at hearing such news, Cygnus. After all, it's not every day that a pretty young thing like her gets a match like this, a marriage to the heir to a great house. It's alright girl, you may go. I'm sure that you have household things to attend to." Bellatrix looked to her father in a daze and when he nodded the affirmative to her, she left the room, leaving the two chatting about things she could no longer hear and couldn't care less about.

Fleeing to her room, she grabbed parchment and quill and penned a quick note to Melina, telling her what had happened. As she wrote, her usually beautiful script turned into a messy scrawl, the parchment dotted with her tears. She finished and sent it off by owl, not knowing that her beautiful Meli would never see its contents. After the break, she returned to Hogwarts and immediately went to find Melina but was turned away at the entrance to the Ravenclaw dorms. The 6th year prefect that came to the entrance told her that not only was Melina not in the dorm, she hadn't come back to school after the break at all. Weeks went by and Bellatrix was unable to find a single shred of information as to her disappearance. She went as far as to go to Professor Dumbledore and Headmaster Dippet, but even that effort amounted to less than nothing, with neither man able to help her. The rest of the school year passed with no change and Bellatrix sank further and further into a depression, only emerging from her room to go to class, choosing to have what food she could force down brought to her by the house elves. She sat her NEWTS and passed with flying colors, even breaking some of the previously set records. But she found no joy in any of it, her heart had broken when Melina disappeared and there had been no fixing that pain in the months since. She arrived home and was informed that the wedding would be a small, family only affair and that there was no reason to delay it so they would be wed a fortnight from then.

Bellatrix couldn't care less about the wedding, she merely complied with whatever things that got shoved her way, going to her dress fittings and attending tea with her soon to be mother-in-law with a sense of indifference. The day of her marriage to Rodolphus finally arrived, the day dawned clear and bright. Leedle came to her early, serving her a light breakfast of fruit and toast and tea and then helped her to get dressed and ready for the wedding. After everything was done, she went downstairs and waited to be escorted to where the Black and Lestrange families were waiting for the ceremony to commence. Her father appeared and led her to the altar where her almost husband was waiting. It all passed in a blur and hours later she was alone with her new husband.

"I am so glad you're mine Bellatrix, I knew from the first time that I saw you that I had to have you. Your beauty second only to your intelligence and I don't think you have ever been aware just how bloody alluring your body is. Your curves filled my dreams for years, my only regret is that I won't be the only one to claim them."

Bellatrix's eyes widened and she turned to look at him from her perch on the bed. "What do you mean? I've never been with a man before."

Rodolphus laughed evilly, "Oh my dear wife, I'm quite aware of that fact, I would not have married you had that not been the case. What I am referring to is your foolish and deviant dalliance with that filthy mudblood whore, what was her name? Melinda?"

The blood drained from her face and a fear and rage filled her, "What. Did. You. Do?" Each word punctuated with venom.

He grinned with malice as he stalked towards her, "I knew you were cavorting with her and I also knew that I had to have you so I simply… removed her from the equation. She was a mudblood, useless, magic stealing filth. And an orphan to boot. It was the easiest thing that I have ever done. A simple imperius and I was able to get her wand and to snap it. After that it was laughably easy to get her to jump off of a very large muggle building. Your precious mudblood is buried in an unnamed grave in a pauper's graveyard in the middle of nowhere, somewhere that you'll never find. So you see, wife, you are mine and you will never be anyone else's."

Each word that fell from his mouth was a new, burning hot knife shoved through her heart. Her Meli, her beautiful, smart, wonderful Meli was dead. Never again would she see those gorgeous blue eyes glow with mirth or passion, never again would she be able to hold her warm body in her arms or hear her lovely, crystalline laugh. She raised her wand with the intent of cursing him across the room but before she could even form the words on her lips, she felt her body go rigid and she fell back onto the bed, unable to move, to scream or to defend herself.

With a flourish of his wand, Rodolphus vanished both his clothes and hers and climbed on top of her. He parted her legs and drove himself into her, roughly taking his pleasure from her while he left bites and bruises on her from breast to belly. Once he was done he released her from the partial body bind that he had placed on her. "Maybe I got a son on you, I plan on keeping this up until I do and whenever the fancy strikes me, you're my wife now after all. I will do with you what I please and when I please and you'll be a good girl and take it." Rodolphus crawled under the blankets and laid a possessive arm across Bellatrix's sore body leaving her to silently cry into her pillow.

Some months later, Rodolphus informed her that there would be a meeting held at their home that evening and that he required her to ready the drawing room for about a dozen visitors. That evening they slowly trickled in, most of them other pureblood men that Bellatrix knew by sight, the others only by name. Most of her husband's guests had arrived but they were all waiting for one last person to arrive. Bella was waiting in the floo reception area so that she could show the final guest to the drawing room. Finally the green flames flared and a tall, well built man with black hair, a well trimmed goatee and dark brown eyes that she felt like she could drown in. He met her eyes and smiled, a warm genuine smile and held out his hand.

"Lady Lestrange, what a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Your Lord husband certainly did not do you justice in his description of you."

Bellatrix blushed, warm pink stealing across her face. "Thank you my lord, Now, if you'll forgive me, I was instructed to show you to the drawing room, the others await you there."

"Very well my dear, lead the way."

Bellatrix nodded her head and led him down the hallway to where the other men were waiting and held the door for him. She moved to close it behind him but he stopped her with a hand on her wrist, "You're not staying?"

"No my lord, my husband says it's not my place to attend the meeting tonight so I was only going to my room while it was being conducted."

The man gave her a strange look, "Would you like to stay?" she nodded, "Well then my dear, stay you shall." He held out his hand to her and she entered the room on his arm. The door closed with a thud, a thud that echoed in the otherwise silent house, a thud that marked the start of a new chapter in Bellatrix's life.

The next couple of years proved to be the best yet of Bellatrix's life, the man she met that night, Lord Voldemort as he was now known, showed her that she could be more than just Rodolphus's wife, that she could actually use her staggering intellect for a real purpose, for a true purpose. Initially she didn't entirely agree with some of his views but he quickly seduced her to his side, playing on her insecurities and her desire for love and validation. She rose in Lord Voldemort's favor, faster than anyone else that followed him, mainly due to the fact that she was willing to do more for him than any of his other followers, always going above and beyond what he asked of her without question. It got to the point where she was elevated to the position of his first lieutenant, a fact that galled her husband to no end which resulted in Rodolphus and his younger brother becoming sycophantic children, fighting over any crumb that the Dark Lord decided to mete out. The more time that passed, the more violent and extreme things got but by this time, Bellatrix was so far gone into it all that she reveled in it, reveled in losing herself to the violence and bloodlust, but most of all she loved that it helped her forget.

The prophecy had been given, a boy barely more than an infant was supposed to be able to vanquish her Dark Lord, the very thought made her cackle, it was impossible. In spite of that, Lord Voldemort was going after the child himself while he sent Bella and the Lestrange brothers to the house of another child that could also potentially meet the requirements of the prophecy. It was late but there were still lights on in the Longbottom house, the inhabitants, Frank and Alice Longbottom, just now settling down their son Neville. Just as they were putting him into his crib, the door to his bedroom burst open and the Lestranges burst through. Rodolphus started towards Frank, Rabastan towards Alice which left Bellatrix to deal with the now fiercely squalling child. She reached down to just snap his neck with her bare hands but as her eyes met his, he calmed a bit and reached for her as he sniffled and tears rolled down his face. Something broke inside of Bellatrix and for the first time ever, she did not follow one of Lord Voldemort's orders. Instead of killing him and ending a potential threat to her lord, she quickly cast a powerful but temporary disillusionment spell and then transfigured one of the child's stuffed animals to look like his broken corpse. After she was done, she turned to her husband and his brother,

"Enough with your games Rod, and Bas, do stop playing with your food. The task the Dark Lord set me to is finished, we need to go before the aurors show up. The last thing we need is that sort of trouble." The men both dropped their respective victims, letting their insensate bodies hit the floor with a sickening thud. They all walk out of the house only to be surrounded by aurors on all sides. Bella managed to take out a few of the aurors but in the end she was overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

When she awoke, she was bound so tight that she could barely breathe and she was being levitated between a dozen wizards and witches, all close enough to her to almost touch. She was taken to a cell and unceremoniously tossed inside as if she were no more than a sack of potatoes. One of the aurors spat at her feet, "Here's to hoping that you rot in that cell Lestrange, it's the least you deserve." They all walked away and left her more alone than she had ever been.

Weeks later, Bellatrix woke up out of a dead sleep, sweat running down her dirty brow and running into her matted locks. She looked around sensing someone with her but her cell was as empty as it ever was, cold and coated in dust and filth. All of a sudden, she arched up, her back bowing and her heart threatening to thud out of her chest. Just when she was on the verge of passing out, something clicked into place, something settled deep inside her and took hold of her heart. She fell back to the bed, breathing hard and when her pulse finally settled, she could feel something leading from inside her to somewhere outside of her cell, outside of the prison. It was still faint but somehow, she felt more complete than she had in years and with that thought she went back to her fitful slumber.

Miles away, at the same time that Bellatrix was awoken from her sleep, a tiny baby girl with eyes the color of whiskey and a mop of curly brown hair was brought into the world, screaming and flailing for all that she was worth. She was placed in her mother's tired arms and was held close as she suckled. Her mother looked down at her precious child and whispered, "Mumma loves you little one, so very much. I'll always love you my little Hermione."


	6. Discoveries

Hermione was a happy child, she loved her books almost as much as she mummy and her daddy and kept to them as much as her parents allowed her. If they left it be she wouldn't come down for dinner and would throw fits at bath time, they moderated her time with books so that she would be able to try other things and have fun outside. The only odd thing out about her young life were the dreams that she had been having for as long as she could remember. Dreams about a pair of dark brown eyes that always looked sad and hurt and something else that Hermione just didn't have a name for. As she got older, the dreams got clearer, features of the woman remained cloudy but Hermione could still tell that the woman was in pain, that she was lost. Some nights she would wake screaming because she could feel the echoes of the pain that the woman was feeling, the eyes haunting her even when she was awake. The dark eyed woman never really left her thoughts but one day, something happened that caused her to push those dreams into the back of her mind.

Hermione was sitting at the dining room table, reading her newest book about Greek mythology while she was waiting for her mother to finish cooking lunch when she heard a knock on the door. " 'Mione dear? Can you get the door please, I'm just getting the ham toasties out of the pan and dad's in the sink."

Hermione stood up from the table and slowly walked to the door, her nose still stuck in her book. She opened the door and greeted the person that was there waiting, "Hullo, my mum said to answer the door." She finished the paragraph and looked up and was taken aback at the sight that met her eyes. The woman was tall, with an odd green dress, and oval, wire rimmed glasses. Her eyes were kind but there was a rather stern air about her.

The woman looked down at her and allowed a small smile to grace her face. With a soft Scottish burr, she spoke. "Hello my dear, my name is Minerva McGonagall and I am here to see both you and your parents. Could you get them for me?"

Hermione cocked her head, curious at what this strange woman could possibly want with her so, with a small frown, she nodded and went to go fetch her parents. After some quiet and hurried conversation, the three Grangers emerged from the kitchen to properly greet their guest. Richard and Helen Granger looked quizzically at the woman standing before them, when Helen shook herself out of her surprise. "Pardon me madam, we have been incredibly rude. Please have a seat, would you like tea? A glass of juice or water perhaps?"

Minerva smiled, "Tea would be lovely, strong with milk and no sugar if you please."

Hermione and her mother went into the kitchen to prepare the tea while Richard engaged Minerva in a bit of small talk while they waited. His wife and daughter finally returned to the living room with a tray of tea for the four of them. Helen set the tray down and handed out all the cups of freshly made tea. She took a few sips and sat her cup down and took a long look at the older woman sitting in front of them. "Now, you've said more than once that you're here to see the three of us so would you be so kind as to elaborate on that as the three of us are all quite curious."

Minerva set her cup down and folded her hands in her lap. "Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger, My name is Minerva McGonagall and I am both a teacher and the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

That caused Richard to sputter in his tea, almost spilling the hot liquid on himself. "Hogwoods? Witchcraft and Wizardry? That's poppycock, there's no such school and no such thing as witchcraft. If you're going to keep spouting nonsense then I will have to ask you to leave as we don't hold with such things here."

Minerva held up her hand, "Mr. Granger, please. _Hogwarts_ very real and in fact, your daughter Hermione is a witch and has been formally invited to attend." At that she pulled a letter out of her pocket and handed it to Richard.

He popped the wax seal on the back of it and read it, his eyes widening. Silently he passed the letter to his wife, and she reacted much the same to reading it as he did. She looked up at Minerva with a look of disbelief on her face. "If we were to believe this, how do we know that it's true? How do we know that there is any veracity behind your words?"

Minerva smiled wryly, "I rather thought you might need a demonstration." At that she pulled a long, thin, funny looking stick with small knobs on one end and waved it in the air. She spoke a strange word and then all of their tea cups started floating in the air.

The cups danced around each other for a few moments and then returned to all of the right people much to the amazement of the Granger family. Hermione was the first to speak, "Can you teach me that, when do I get to go, are there books about it, can I-..." Richard put his hand on his daughter's shoulder and she stopped and blushed furiously, knowing that she had gotten caught up in her questions like she often did when she was excited about something.

"I think what my daughter was trying to get at was that we are all amazed at what you just showed us but we do have a great many questions about all of this."

Minerva smiled yet again and spent the next few hours explaining to them how everything worked, where they would have to go to get the school supplies and how Hermione would actually be able to get the school itself. There was a plethora of questions interjected into the conversation, most of which posed by Hermione herself. The questions that she asked impressed Minerva, she didn't expect such a young girl to be able to pose such intelligent and succinct questions and at such a rapid fire pace. Once she had mostly satisfied them all, she bid them goodbye with a promise that she would see Hermione when she arrived at school for her first term. Later that night Hermione fell asleep with pictures of witches and wizards and creatures flying through her dreams.

The next month flew by with Hermione trying to learn as much as she possibly could but she kept hitting walls because there just wasn't any information on the subjects that she was interested in. The muggle, (as she learned people without magic or the knowledge or magic were called) library near her house had exactly zero of the information she wanted. Just when she was about to cry from the frustration of not being able to find out what she wanted, a package and a letter was delivered to her house, by owl delivery nonetheless. The package was addressed to her but the letter was addressed to her parents. The moment that she picked up the package she knew it was a book and she tore open the paper, heedless of anything else. Her jaw dropped as she gazed at the cover of "Hogwarts: A History". A thick tome that looked to hold a veritable wealth information that she couldn't wait to devour. She opened the cover and a small note fell to the floor. Picking it up, she noticed that it was written in a flowing, elegant script.

_Dear Miss Granger, _

_From the kind and amount of questions that you asked me when we first met, I deduced that you are a voracious consumer of knowledge in almost any way that you could get your hands on it. While I cannot condone giving you an unfair advantage over the other first years, I saw no harm in sending you this so that you could have more of the knowledge that you so desperately crave. Some find this tome rather dry and boring but I do believe that you will find it more than fascinating. I look forward to seeing you on the 1st of September along with the other First Years._

_P.s. Do try to make the book last more than a day or two. _

_Sincerely, _

_Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall_

She ran her fingers over the letters, in awe that the Deputy Head herself would send her this. She couldn't wait to really get into it and read, she was so excited at the prospect of being able to learn more about this new world she was suddenly a part of. She started towards her room so she could start to dig into the book when her mother called her into the kitchen. She hugged the large book to her chest and went to her mother with a smile plastered over her face. "Yes mum?"

"Hermione dear, the letter that came told us all about how to get to a place called Diagon Alley and where to go to buy your school robes and the rest of your supplies. Since the 1st of September is only a few days away, your father and I will be taking tomorrow and Friday off so that we will be able to get all of this done, as I expect it to take up quite a bit of time. It also said that there will be someone waiting for us to help us get into this place and to help us for the first little bit that we are there so we aren't completely lost." Helen smiled as her daughter tried to jump up and down even as weighed down as the large book she was holding. "Now, there is a couple of hours before dinner so yes, you can go read your new book but be sure you write the Professor a thank you note for it." Hermione was already halfway up the stairs before her mother had finished speaking, only pausing long enough to yell a hurried "Yes mum" behind her in the general direction of the kitchen. She lost herself in the pages of the book until her mother knocked on her door to summon her for dinner. Later that night she almost couldn't sleep from the sheer excitement, tomorrow she would finally be seeing a bigger part of the wizarding world.

The next morning, Hermione was up before her parents, she was dressed and ready before her alarm and sitting on the couch clutching her copy of Hogwarts: A History and bouncing excitedly by the time that they came down the stairs wrapped up their housecoats, their eyes still bleary from sleep. " 'Mione? Sweetheart, what on earth are you doing down here so early? Mother and I haven't even had our morning coffee yet."

Hermione sighed, "I know Dad, and I'm sorry but I'm just so excited for the trip today. I can't wait to get there and to see everything and to get all of my supplies and the bookstore, the letter you got said we would be going to Flourish and Blotts and I'm just so terribly excited." She looked at her parents with a hopeful look, "Are we going now? I know it's early but what if it takes us longer than we think to find the entrance and we miss our help to get in?"

Her mother chuckled tiredly, "Hermione, my little love, we will be on time, I promise. You may be ready to go but your father and I need to have our coffee and something to eat and for that matter so do you. After that he and I will get dressed and then we can make our way into the city."

"I agree with your mother dear, just be patient and we will get there."

With that, they both shuffled into the kitchen to get some much needed caffeine so that they could get the fuel for the long day that they knew that they had in front of them. Hermione joined them at the table, and inhaled a couple of pieces of buttered toast and a cup of tea and quickly put her dishes in the sink. "I'll go read until it's time to go if that's alright?" Her parents both nodded at her and she ran off to the couch to read and wait for her parents. Almost forty-five minutes later, her parents came down from upstairs, and much to Hermione's joy, they were dressed and ready to go. She jumped up from the couch and bounded out the door, leaving her parents shaking their heads and they followed her out to the car. The place that they were told to go was actually quite close to where they lived so even with the heavy traffic, they were able to make good time and made it to their destination in under twenty minutes. Richard parked the car as close as he was able and the family made their way to the meeting point. They arrived and looked around but didn't see anyone that they thought could possibly be who they were waiting for. Hermione started looking around when she saw something that rather looked out of place to her, the more she concentrated on that doorway, the less shabby it seemed. She started to step towards it when a small man popped his head out and smiled at her.

"Miss Granger I presume?" Hermione nodded "Well then, that must make the two of you her parents?" They nodded, mildly bewildered at the small man in front of them. "Good, good. I am Professor Fillius Flitwick, Professor of Charms at Hogwarts as well as the Ravenclaw Head of House. Professor McGonagall asked me to help you with your first outing to Diagon Alley as she has a strong suspicion that you may very well end up in my house Miss Granger."

"Oh I read about Ravenclaw Professor Flitwick, the part about the house library was my favorite!"

"Oh ho! You like reading ahead do you? That is certainly a trait of my house, my dear. That being said, it's time to go, you have a very long day ahead of you."

"Alright Professor, come on Hermione, Helen, let's follow the Professor and get on with it."

Hermione grabbed the hands of her parents and happily walked with them behind the diminutive professor. They entered into a dimly lit but busy pub, people in robes and other strange garments seated and milling about, all sorts of conversation that Hermione didn't even remotely understand was going on. The noise died down momentarily as they walked in but it quickly picked back up as they made their way through the room and went into the alley behind the pub. Professor Flitwick preceded them and pulled out what they knew now to be a wand and used it to tap a few bricks in a peculiar pattern. He stepped back and waited, wanting to see the reaction of the Granger family as they laid eyes on Diagon Alley. The gasps and the looks on their faces were worth it as the sunlight shone in from the busy street in front of them. People of all ages bustled about in front of them, some carrying packages, others bags and all with a hurried sense of purpose.

Flitwick turned to them and motioned them over to an area where they could stand out of the way. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Hermione, you have the list of what you need and where to find it. I will meet you all here at say, 5pm? That should give you more than enough time to collect everything, afterwards I will see you back to your transportation."

"That sounds perfect Professor Flitwick, I think that my wife, daughter and myself will be having a grand time today with all of this, but your help is greatly appreciated." Flitwick nodded and made his way back into the pub. "Well Helen, Hermione, I think that we should leave this "Flourish and Blotts to the last, so that being said, where should we go first?" Hermione's eyes lit up and she all but dragged her parents towards the first shop she saw, which just so happened to be the apothecary. Hours passed with Hermione drinking in the sights and sounds, loving every bit of the new experience. One of the last shops that remained before the bookstore was The Magical Menagerie, where Hermione was supposed to pick out her familiar. The letter that Professor McGonagall had given her said that she was able to bring an owl a toad or a cat, she wasn't sure what she wanted yet but she was sure that she would be able to find it inside. She entered the shop with her parents and began to look around at the different animals on offer. She knew right away that she wouldn't be a toad that she got for her familiar. She saw owls that were quite nice but none of them called to her and none of them was a good fit for her. She kept walking and was about to give up on finding a familiar when she heard a soft mewing from a covered and locked basket near the back of the store. As she approached it, the shopkeeper came up to her. "Sorry miss, I don't think you'll be wanting that one. He's a vicious beast he is, half kneazle and not fit for sale. I was just getting ready to send him back as a matter of fact."

Hermione looked up at the man, "I understand that sir, I do but may I please see him anyway? What would it hurt if you're going to send him away anyways?"

The shopkeeper gave her a look that clearly said that he thought she was crazy but he did as he asked, and unlocked the basket. A fluffy orange head with a squashed in face poked up above the edge of the basket, looking thoroughly put out from being locked in the basket for god only knew how long. As soon as Hermione laid eyes on him she knew, she knew that he was it. She reached for him and had him pulled into her arms before the man next to her could do a thing about it. He looked at her in awe, shocked that the violent little beast was not only tolerating being held by the girl, he was curled up and purring in them. "I'm gobsmacked, I am, really. I didn't think he would ever get bought. Ya know, I'm so surprised that I'm just going to give you him. Him and all of the things you need for him, just take him miss and I'll just be glad that he's gone."

Hermione was so thrilled about her new familiar that she didn't even notice an old wanted poster of a woman with haunting dark eyes.

The next stop that they made was to Ollivanders Wand Shop, where Hermione would finally be able to get her very own wand. She walked in and looked around, eyeing the dusty interior with a mixture of interest and distaste. She approached the desk and started to peer over it when an older man with a shock of bright white hair popped up out of seemingly nowhere, startling her and causing her to fall over onto the floor which made a small cloud of dust flare up around her.

"Oh hello there, did I startle you? I do apologize, sometimes I'm a bit out of touch with things. You're here of course to get your wand so let me look at you for a moment." He looked her up and down and tilted his head a bit while he stood there. "Hmm, that'll do then." He pulled out a few boxes and the first two were definite non-starters, the first just blew wispy smoke and the second lit the desk on fire. He gave her an odd look and pulled out a particularly dusty box and set it on the counter in front of her. "Try this one my dear, it very well may fit you better." Hermione reached out and took the wand in her hand and a rush of feeling ran through her and a shower of warm silver sparks erupted from the tip. "Hmm. It is peculiar that it should be that wand that chose you. For its sister chose someone I haven't seen in many years, nor has anyone else I would gather."

Hermione looked at him with curiosity. "Who was it Mister Ollivander?"

He sighed, "One Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black. She was jailed years ago for horrible crimes in service to You-Know-Who. It really was such a shame what happened to the Longbottoms. But no matter, I believe that this wand is a very good match for you. 10 ¾ inch vinewood with a dragon heartstring core and reasonably pliant. Yes, this is the best one for you."

She thanked him, paid and left the shop, happy with her newest acquisition and returned to her parents.

Miles away in a dark and filthy cell, dark brown eyes shot open as the feeling that had been gently tugging on the core of her soul for years flared and began to pull harder than she had ever felt it.

After a long day in Diagon Alley, Hermione and her parents returned home laden with packages and parcels, eager to unload and relax for the rest of the day, at least that was the plan that Richard and Helen had. Hermione had other ideas entirely, she went back and forth from upstairs to downstairs, dragging all of the days purchases into her room. Panting she surveyed everything she had brought up with a smile of satisfaction. Now, all she had to do was to pack everything in her school trunk. She scratched Crookshanks on the head and started her rather daunting task. She began with sorting all of her books into the piles of classes, light reading, fun reading, advanced reading, free time reading and meal time reading. Unsurprisingly, there wasn't any overlap and Hermione had to be very precise when stacking the books in her trunk, but luckily her parents had paid the salesman extra to install an extension charm as well as a featherlight charm so that she would both be able to pack everything she needed as well as be able to carry it without assistance if needed. After her books she put in her potions supplies, her parchment and quills followed by her school robes and uniforms along with her underclothes and toiletries. Finally she placed her wand on top of the set of robes that she would be wearing on the Hogwarts Express. Now that she was done she closed the trunk and clicked the latches shut. Exhausted she laid down to sleep, eager for the next day to go by quickly so that it would be time to go.

The next day and night flew by and finally the morning of her departure to Hogwarts arrived amid a flurry of activity from the whole family. Hermione's mother was busy in the kitchen preparing a bag of snacks just in case she got hungry on the nearly eight hour trip to her school. Her father was busy outside, making last minute adjustments to the family car so that it would be sure to run well on their trip to the train station, he had always been rather persnickety about the cars that they had owned. Hermione was upstairs repacking her trunk for only the fifth time, making _**absolutely **_sure that she had everything she needed and that she wasn't going to leave anything behind. It would just be terrible if she somehow left behind a book that she needed for an important class. Who was she kidding, _all_ of her classes were important and because of that she had to ensure that she forgot nothing. Her parents were Muggles after all, and they wouldn't be able to send her things very often. Finally satisfied with her packing after repacking her trunk yet again, she lifted it and brought it downstairs with her and announced to her parents that she was ready to go. Her father came in and washed his hands and gave his daughter a kiss on her head, "Alright 'Mione, let me get the things from the kitchen and I will get your trunk in the car." She bounced a little up on her toes and smiled so big it made her face hurt a little. Richard came back out of the kitchen holding the bag of snacks that his wife had prepared for their daughter and motioned for Hermione to follow him out to the car. "Mum will be out soon love, hop in and buckle up, we will be leaving as soon as she gets out here." Hermione jumped into the backseat and buckled up snugly, knowing that her parents wouldn't leave until they made sure that they were all well secured. After getting her trunk into the boot of the car, Richard called for his wife, "Helen, honey, hurry now or we will be late!" Helen came hurrying out of the house and locked the door behind them. Getting into the car she smiled at her husband and daughter and they pulled out of the driveway and were on their way.

A while later, they arrived at the St. Pancras Parking station and found a spot that wasn't too far from where they had to go in Kings Cross Station. By this time Hermione was bouncing in her excitement, her bushy brown hair frizzing up even more than normal and her bright brown eyes sparkling in delight. "Come on mum, dad! It's just across the way and it's almost ten. I want to hurry so I can find a good seat so I can pull out my Hogwarts book and re-read the parts about the sorting!"

Richard chuckled at her enthusiasm, "Yes dear, just let me get your trunk dear, you won't get very far without it, now will you?"

Her mother looked over from where she was watching the street in front of them, "Hermione love, don't forget your satchel and the bag of snacks. You know you'll get hungry later, you barely managed a piece of toast this morning."

With a gasp, Hermione reached back into the car and grabbed the items her mother had reminded her about. Finally holding everything that she needed, the Granger family made their way into the station. They passed platform 9 and were almost to 10 when Hermione grabbed the hands of her parents and much to their shock, dragged them through the wall separating the two stations. With a mildly disgruntled look of awe, they all popped through into the crowd of people milling about. It was so busy and noisy, there was a cacophony of shouting, animals noises and parents bidding their children goodbye. Hermione stood a little in awe of the large scarlet train that sat on the tracks in front of her. She was finally here, in front of the Hogwarts Express and she couldn't remember being happier. With a tug on her father's hand, she led them over towards where she saw that other students were depositing their trunks. Her father sat her trunk down along with the others and they all walked a little bit away. "Now Hermione, I know that you are terribly excited to get on the train and to get this journey underway but your mother and just want you to know that we love you very much and no matter what we will be here even if all of this doesn't work out, you know that right?"

Hermione nodded emphatically, "Yes dad, of course and I love you and mum too and I will write to you every week and tell you about everything that happens. When I'm not studying of course."

Helen's eyes watered, "Oh my little baby is leaving us, I am going to miss you so much little one. I know that we won't have regular access to an owl to send you letters or care packages but we will send what we can when we can ok?"

She flung herself at her mother, willing the tears not to fall. "It's ok mum, I'm going to do really well and it'll be time for the winter break in no time and I'll have so much to show you both. I love you mum, and you too dad."

Richard pulled both of his girls into a fierce hug, "Well go on then, that perfect seat isn't going to stay empty for long love, go grab it."

She smiled at her parents and ran onto the train only looking back once to wave before she disappeared into it in search of the perfect seat she wanted.

Hours later, a pudgy, dark haired boy stuck his head in the compartment that she had ended up in and looked at her with watery eyes. "H-hullo, could you help me? Trevor, my toad, has gone missing and my Gran will murder me if I've really lost him."

She sighed and set down her book, she was a little annoyed at the interruption, she had just gotten to her favorite part of Hogwarts: A History but she supposed that at least this was a good enough reason for an interruption if she absolutely had to have one. "Alright, first things first, where was the last place you saw him?"

The boy stuttered a bit, "H-he went t-that way." He pointed a finger down towards the other end of the train, "I had just taken him out of his cage and one of the older years startled me and then Trevor just jumped away down there."

Hermione nodded, "Well, you take the compartments on the right side and I will take the ones on the left and we will make our way down and by the time we reach the end we will have certainly found him."

The boy smiled gratefully at her, "Oh, m-my name is Neville b-by the way, Neville Longbottom."

She smiled back at him, "Mine is Hermione Granger, it's nice to meet you Neville."

After the brief introduction they set out to find Neville's missing toad. Hermione looked carefully in windows and knocking when she had to ask any of the occupants about the toads whereabouts. She continued like this until she peeked in one compartment that contained a small dark haired boy with glasses and a boy with bright red hair and rather shabby clothes. The dark haired boy was watching the red head wave his wand about. Heedless of the fact that she could be interrupting, she opened the door. "Hello, have either of you seen a toad in here? A boy named Neville is looking for his." They both shook their heads and then Hermione honed in on the wand that the red headed boy was holding. "Were you about to do magic? Well let's see then." She looked at him expectantly and waited. He just turned red and stuffed his wand into his bag muttering something about not wanting to show off. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked to the other boy, "I've been reading about different spells and I know one that could fix your glasses if you'd like?" He nodded slowly and she pointed her wand at him and clearly spoke the words, "Oculus Reparo". The tape on his glasses disappeared and the cracks vanished from his lenses.

The boy took them off and squinted at them in surprise, "You fixed them! I don't think I've ever had new glasses like this!" He happily put them back on and stuck out his hand, "My name's Harry, what's yours?"

She took his hand, "Hermione Granger, it's nice to meet you Harry." She turned to the other boy still kind of sulking in the corner and stuck out her hand to him, "And your name?"

He begrudgingly took her hand, "Ron Weasly."

She raised an eyebrow, "A pleasure, I'm sure." Just when she was about to start a new conversation about another spell she had already learned about, a whistle sounded and she jumped out of her seat. "Oh no! That's the thirty minute warning, we are almost to Hogwarts! You two should put on your robes!" She dashed out of the compartment, leaving the two boys with mouths agape at her sudden departure.

The train finally stopped and Hermione grabbed her things and rushed out, wanting to be the first to disembark. As she stepped out, she saw a very large and hairy man waving over by a large lake. "Firs' years over here! All Firs' years over here please!" Shaking her head, she made her way over to the man.

She craned her head up to look at him as he kept calling to the other First Years that were steadily stumbling off of the train. When they were all finally in front of him, he showed them all how to get on to the boats that were waiting for them. Hermione knew that they weren't in any real danger but she was still leery of getting in a boat to travel across the dark lake. Those misgivings only lingered until she saw the lit up outline of Hogwarts across the water, the sight bringing a prickle of tears to her eyes. Just a little while later she was standing in front of a set of very large doors waiting to be led in for the sorting. She heard the click of heels on stone and looked over to see that it was Professor McGonagall that had come to fetch them into the Great Hall.

"I am Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. I am Head of Gryffindor House and I also serve here as the Transfiguration professor. In a few moments I will be leading you into the Great Hall for sorting but I expect you all to be on your best behaviour while you are waiting. Once you are sorted, you will go and sit at the appropriate table with your new housemates to wait until the sorting is finished." She caught Hermione's eye and her gaze softened just a little, happy to see the precocious young girl finally at Hogwarts. Cocking her head in a rather feline manner listened for a moment and then addressed the students once again. "You may now enter the Great Hall, please proceed quietly and in single file to the front."

There was a murmur of "Yes Professors" from the children in front of her and then she turned and led them all to the front to where a stool and a rumpled old hat were waiting. After they all formed their line, the hat stirred and began to sing a rather long and silly song and if you asked Hermione, she thought it was rather pointless. Child after child was sorted, a fairly even mix of all four houses until it was finally Hermione's turn.

"Granger, Hermione!" The hat called out loudly, more so than the others Hermione thought to herself. She sat on the stool and the hat was lowered onto her head, the slight weight settling quickly. "_Hmm, a quick wit and a desire to learn I see here, not to mention a love for reading that almost rivals that of Rowena Ravenclaw herself. You would be quite a good fit for Ravenclaw my dear, quite a good fit indeed. But there are also other things about you that might make you a better fit for…"_ The hat trailed off causing Hermione to groan in impatience.

"_A good fit for where! I hope you don't think you're going to put me in Slytherin!"_

_The hat chuckled inside her head, "No child, not Slytherin."_

Just when Hermione was about to start up a tirade against the hat, it called out "Gryffindor!" which shocked her into a stunned silence. The hat was removed and she dazedly made her way to the cheering Gryffindor table, its other occupants elated to add yet another to their house.

Later that night she settled into her comfortable bed exhausted by the days events but so very excited. As she fell asleep, she thought she felt something warm settle into the centre of her chest which made her burrow farther into her blankets with a smile. That night she dreamt of the sad lady again but something was different this time, she just couldn't put her finger on it.

Once again the tugging on the dark-haired woman's soul changed, becoming something warmer but also more insistent. She knew she had to get out of this cell and soon. She would just need to come up with a plan as to how she could make that happen but happen it would, she would make sure of that.


	7. Freedom

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**_Woot! Chapter seven is here you guys! All thanks to my amazing Beta, mrs.eckard without whom I would *not* be able to post with any regularity_**

.**_You are all in for a treat this chapter so please, RR and tell me what you think! Only three or four more chapters until something BIG happens so please stay tuned!_**

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The first few years of Hermione's time at Hogwarts passed quickly but it was nowhere near uneventful. There was the troll, then the keys and chessboard and the potions and all of that was only in the first year. The following year brought with it the discovery of a basilisk roaming inside the walls of the school that was being controlled by the shade of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named who was also controlling poor Ginny Weasley. And being petrified was quite a bit less than fun, something that Hermione had no desire to ever repeat. Third year brought with it a brand new set of complications, beginning with Professor McGonagall lending her a time turner.

"Now Hermione, I know that we have had the discussion about what classes you want to take this year, but are you sure that you want to proceed with this? It will be hard on you, very likely comparable to your NEWT year."

Hermione sat back in the plush armchair in front of McGonagall's desk and sighed, "I know Professor, but there's so much going on this year and I finally have access to all of the classes for real now. I can't help but want to do this. I mean, I feel like I need to do this. After the last couple of years with everything that's happened with Harry, I need to do something for me even if it'll be harder than anything else I've managed yet."

The Scottish woman gave her a long look, "Very well Hermione but you know the rules that are attached to this, and you know what could happen if you violate them. Please be careful, I know you're capable but I don't want to see anything bad happen to you." With that Minerva pulled a small box out of the right side drawer of her desk and handed it to Hermione. "Well here you are then my dear, you can go, just be mindful of what we spoke about today."

Hermione took the box from her professor and nodded. With a small but determined smile she rose and left the room.

The next few months went by in a blur for Hermione, filled with classes, studying and attempting to help Harry now that Sirius Black had broken out of prison. She was sleeping less and less, trying to fit as much as humanly possible into her days, feeling like she didn't have enough time even with the Time Turner that McGonagall had loaned her.

She was exhausted after the ordeal with Sirius and Peter Pettigrew but worried about Professor Lupin, Harry's state of mind and Ron's injury. And worried about the whole thing in general if she was completely honest with herself.

After a puzzling talk with Dumbledore, Harry stood there with a confused look on his face as Hermione dragged the golden chains attached to the Time Turner she wore under her jumper.

"Listen Harry, just do as I say and maybe we will be able to fix all of this but we have to go quickly or nothing we do will be able to fix this." She put the chain around the both of them and spun the sand filled hourglass watching as the room spun around them. They hurried from the Hospital wing and made their way to where they would hopefully be able to rescue Buckbeak and Sirius if everything went well. Hours later they stumbled into the Hospital Wing, tired and dirty but thrilled. They were able to free Buckbeak and Sirius all while keeping out of sight from their past selves and the relief of it all made them collapse in giggles against Ron's bed, making him look at them as if they had gone completely around the bend.

As the trio were sitting together in the Hospital Wing, enjoying their success, a different group of men were sitting together in a much different setting, reveling in something that would cause most to tremble were they sat.

"Ignatius, Carrington, you both understand that this must be done with the utmost secrecy? I don't give a damn how many muggles you have to kill to get this right, or how much it costs but you will make this work. This is the lynchpin in the plan that will help us prepare for the return of our Dark Lord. Nothing, and I mean nothing, else matters."

The two men gulped and nodded at the slighter, darker man in front of them. Ignatius spoke first, "We will Mr. Crouch, we already have a plan in place for where to acquire the necessary muggles for this. We just wanted to know who we were getting out first."

Barty Crouch Sr gave them a hard stare. "It is of vital importance that our Lord's top lieutenant be gotten to first, they must be allowed time to recuperate from their imprisonment so that we have their backing before any more time passes. Once we have Bellatrix Lestrange, her husband and brother-in-law, Antonin Dolohov and Theophilius Nott are next, then we can move on to all of the others. But as we only have a limited time to accomplish all of this, we have to move quickly. Leave me a message in our usual place when you are ready to retrieve Bellatrix. Meanwhile I will be working on acquiring all of the wands and personal effects of the people we are setting free. If this worked for my own son, then I have no doubt that this will all pan out excellently, provided you both do what is needed."

A few days later, Ignatius and Carrington were able to get a hold of a muggle that closely resembled Bellatrix Lestrange that they were able to set a delayed transfiguration and an imperius on. As aurors, they were able to escort the disguised muggle woman into Azkaban under the pretense of her being an old family friend wanting to visit Bellatrix. The guards at the prison were skeptical about the visit but after some cursory exams, they let the trio in and they made their way to the cells where the most dangerous and deranged prisoners were held. Finally arriving at the cell that held the infamous Bellatrix Lestrange, Ignatius peered into the cell only to be met with the sight of crazed eyes and wild, matted hair. She slammed against the door, screaming and cursing them to their next generation and making them jump back in alarm. Gathering himself, Ignatius cast a number of privacy wards and stepped closer to the door and cleared his throat. "Lady Lestrange, please, we are not here to harm you. Quite the opposite in fact. We are here to free you."

Bellatrix paused in her verbal assault of the people in front of her and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Her voice hoarse from disuse and the recent yelling she spoke. "Azkaban is unassailable and inescapable so how exactly do you imagine that you will be accomplishing that?"

Ignatius and Carrington looked at each other, they had been told that Bellatrix would be close to insane and barely able to communicate but the woman that stood behind the barred door was surprisingly articulate and lucid. "A mutual acquaintance came up with a plan some years ago to be able to retrieve someone of value to him from this place. After seeing that it was a resounding success, he enlisted us to help get you and others free from this place. The woman with us is under the imperius as well as a temporary glamour that will wear off once we are far away from here. We have a polyjuice potion prepared so that you will leave looking like her and once she is in your cell and the glamour wears off, she resembles you enough that there won't be any question as to her identity when they discover the death and dispose of the body. We don't think that there will be much fuss or investigation because who will care about another dead Death Eater?"

She looked at them appraisingly, "Well if our mutual acquaintance is so sure about this then get on with it, I've done my waiting, and far too much of it. I want to put all of this behind me."

Ignatius nodded, "Once I get the door opened, you have to stand perfectly still at the door way because this has to be timed perfectly. I will pull you out at the same time that Carrington pushes the muggle woman in but we have to be precise or the wards will be broken and the alarm will go off. If that happens then none of us will be getting out of here, alive or otherwise."

With a deep breath, Ignatius began to chant the spell that would unlock the door and the wards around it long enough to pull Bellatrix out. "Fundamenta autem reserare, Fundamenta autem reserare, Fundamenta autem reserare."

With the words still ringing in the air, the cell door swung open with a small groan and Bellatrix assumed the position that she had been told to. Ignatius stood in front of Bellatrix while Carrington positioned himself on the opposite side with the muggle woman stood in front of him with a blank look on her face. On the count of three they moved both women with Carrington casting a curse to slice open the muggle woman's wrists as she fell to the floor of the cell. Once the door had closed once again, Bellatrix faced the men in front of her and extended her hand. "Well hand it over, polyjuice isn't pleasant in the best of times, it'll likely taste like sewage now so I would quite like to get this over with." She took the small vial out of Ignatius's hand and downed the whole thing in one go. She grimaced and tossed the vial and it shattered against the stone wall behind her. "As I expected, pure sewage."

The changes caused by the potion made her skin almost ripple as it darkened from her normal porcelain tone. Her hair shortened and straightened as well as lightened and her eyes changed from their usual nearly black to a bright blue. Once changed, Ignatius waved his wand to switch the clothes that the two women were wearing. Once the potion had settled and with it all the changes, Bellatrix took a deep breath, "Take me home gentlemen." The two aurors led the disguised Bellatrix out of the bowels of the prison and into the open air for the first time in over twelve years but as she took her first steps outside the walls of Azkaban, she fell to her knees and the world faded away before she could hit the ground, whiskey brown eyes filled her vision and her heart pounded so hard she thought it would leave her chest.

Once again, miles away, a very different person was having a very similar reaction.

Hermione woke with a start, her heart pounding so hard that she thought it could be heard on the other side of her house. Once her heart beat went back to normal, she realized that there was something different, she somehow felt that there was something more complete inside her. It almost felt like a piece of her that she didn't even know was missing had fallen into place and that she was somehow closer to where she needed to be. She had gotten an invitation from the Weasleys to go on some sort of trip some days prior and though she didn't know where they were going or what had been planned but she knew that she was excited to be able to spend some time with some of her favourite people. Being able to relax without some sort of crisis looming over them all was just what everyone needed.

"Hermione dear! Mrs. Weasley is here to fetch you for that trip."

Hermione looked up from a book on advanced transfiguration, surprised that the time had passed so quickly. "Be right down mum, I just need to grab my bag!" She stood quickly and grabbed her bag and stuffed the book she was holding along with three others in the bag and rushed down the stairs. Spotting the red haired woman sitting in the living room with her mother, she dropped her bag next to the door and launched herself at Molly, thrilled to see the woman who was like a second mother to her. "Mrs. Weasley! I'm so happy to see you, how was the trip here? Broom or apparition?"

Molly Weasley chuckled, "I haven't gotten on a broom for more years than I can count my dear, if that answers your question. And our trip was just fine though I landed a few houses down quite by accident but I made it here alright after that. Are you ready to go dear? I'm afraid that Arthur has the other children on quite the schedule for all of this, all he's waiting for really is for you and Harry to arrive tonight so that he can finish packing."

Hermione frowned at Molly, "Packing? I thought this wasn't going to be a big trip, do I need to add more to my bag?"

"No dear, I'm sure that Arthur has it all handled, all we need is for all of our children to come together for this and I'm sure that it will all work itself out. That being said, let's grab your things and head out dear, I'd like to be home before Harry arrives."

Hermione nodded and hugged her mother goodbye. Picking up her bag, she put her other arm around Molly's waist and with a turn, they both disappeared with a sharp pop.

The next day they were all awake before dawn, Mrs. Weasley bustled around, putting the finishing touches on bags of food for all of the people that would be leaving shortly. Arthur, the twins, Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione would all need a substantial amount of food even for the short time that they would be gone. Fred and George were bouncing all over the place, full of energy in spite of the early hour. Ginny and Hermione were not as energetic as the twins but they were certainly more awake than Harry and Ron who were barely able to drag themselves out of bed in time for them all to leave the house. Not twenty minutes later, they were all on their way, trekking across the fields behind the Weasley house. They walked for another twenty minutes (during which Ron complained nearly non-stop about sore feet and an empty stomach) until they saw another couple of people walking towards them. The people turned out to be Amos Diggory and his son Cedric who was also a student at Hogwarts just a couple of years ahead of Hermione and her friends. After everyone had greeted each other, they all walked to a nearby hill upon which rested an old boot. Arthur bid all of the kids to grab ahold and once everyone was at least touching the boot, the entire group disappeared without a sound.

Seconds later, the whole group appeared in the middle of a bustling crowd set in front of a massive arena. They were there for the Quidditch World Cup and the boys and Ginny couldn't be more thrilled while Hermione was concerned that she may not have brought enough books for the trip. The excitement pouring off of the younger Weasleys was contagious though so that even Hermione was starting to feel it. People in all sorts of dress apparating or portkeying into designated areas and setting up tents or other dwellings, the crowd thinning the farther away from the place they entered that they got. They walked for about ten minutes until they finally arrived at an open space several spots down from where the Diggory's had their tent set up. Arthur and the twins set up a small tent in front of Hermione and the others but Hermione cocked her head and looked at the size of it all.

"Pardon me Mr. Weasley but that doesn't seem nearly enough room for Ginny and I, let alone all ten of us. Unless it's been enchanted somehow?"

Arthur merely grinned at Hermione and the others and held open the flap of the tent and motioned for them all to go inside. They filed in and gasped as they saw the inside of the tent. There was a kitchen space, a small living area a closed off bathroom and areas that were curtained off that she could see that contained enough bunk beds for almost all of them.

Harry turned and looked at her with a lopsided grin, "This is one of those times when I really, really love magic 'Mione."

She smiled back, "Me too Harry, me too." As she looked away from Harry, she realized that she had only counted seven beds in the tent but before she could turn to Mr. Weasley to ask where she and Ginny would be sleeping, Ginny pulled her towards the back of the tent to a small opening that she hadn't seen before. Stepping through, Hermione looked in wonder at her new surroundings. There were two single beds in separate alcoves, a small bathroom off to one side and a small couch and table. It was private and just for them. They set out their bags and laid out what they would be wearing to the match later that evening, well at least Hermione did, Ginny merely upended her bag into her bed and grabbed a handful of clothes that consisted of a new pair of trousers and a team Ireland Quidditch jersey. Once dressed, they emerged from their room and joined the others for a meal before they would all make their way to the stadium.

The uproar at the last minute win in spite of Krum catching the Golden Snitch for the Bulgarian team had everyone who had rooted for Ireland in such a furor that they were all raucously celebrating with cheers, shows of magic and drinks all around. Hermione, Harry and the younger Weasleys had all been allowed a few sips from a bottle of Firewhiskey that Arthur had brought along. Ginny and all the boys were all out front together, still celebrating but the Firewhiskey that Hermione had had gone to her head a bit and she went to go lie down until the feeling passed, hoping that the short rest would stop the spinning in her head. A little while later she lay softly dozing when her eyes flew open and she shot up out of the bed, on her feet before she realized what was happening. She felt a warm tug on her core, the line of heat leading out from inside her to somewhere behind the tent. With her wand in hand and without a further thought, she left the tent using the back entrance to avoid Harry and the Weasleys and went in search of what was tugging on her very soul. She had felt this feeling for a long time but never this strong or this insistent. She didn't know what it was or where it was coming from, only that she desperately needed to find the thing or the person that was calling to her.

She made her way through the people still celebrating, doing her best not to be seen. The warm feeling in her chest grew warmer and the tugging grew more insistent the closer she got to a small copse of trees that lay just outside of the main campgrounds. She would find out what or who was on the other end of this feeling, she knew it, she just had to keep going. She kept walking, sure that she was close. She was deep into the trees when she heard voices, a woman and a man arguing so she carefully crept closer to try and make out what they were saying.

"We need to go now Bella, all of those idiots out there are drunk and addled, it's the perfect time to strike!"

The woman's groan filtered through the trees and made Hermione shiver inexplicably. "Rodolphus, you and your brother will go to your positions and will move when and only when I give the signal. Now go and find Rabastan, Lucius and the others, we will move shortly."

"Very well Bella, I do hope you know what you're doing."

At that he stalked away, coming disturbingly close to where Hermione was hiding, making her squeeze into a small of a place as possible behind the tree where she was hidden. When he was gone, she breathed a sigh of relief, forgetting for a moment that she still wasn't alone. Hermione heard a small rustle off to her right and when she carefully peered around the tree to see if she could make out what it was she was met with a pair of eyes that she was as familiar with as she was with her own. The warm feeling in her chest began to pulse, and her hand reached out, unbidden and reached for the pale face that stared at her in shock.

Bellatrix gasped softly. Those eyes, she would know those eyes anywhere, the eyes that had haunted her dreams for so long. A question rose to her lips but before she could voice it, screams erupted from the campground behind them. Bella's eyes darted from Hermione's face to the area behind them and she cursed under her breath. With a final look at the girl in front of her, she left at a run, donning a robe and mask and grumbling about idiot men and being interrupted, leaving Hermione in a daze.

Hermione stood beneath the tree, stunned at what had just happened. All that was left of the woman was her scent, wood smoke, rich spices and dark coffee. It surrounded her and filled her senses, making her wish its source was still in front of her. A flash of sickly green light over the campgrounds shook her out of her reverie and she was horrified to see that a large rendition of a skull wrapped in a seething snake had appeared over the small city of tents. As she stared in shock and horror, a thought occurred to her, Harry was out there and she had to get to him. She bolted in the direction of their tent, determined to reach Harry and the others. She was darting between people, tents and debris when she was caught by the waist and pulled behind a tent that had been left in shambles by spell fire. She started to scream but a hand was clapped over her mouth as she tried to struggle against the arms holding her.

"Hermione! Stop! It's Fred and George, dad sent us to find you."

She stopped struggling against them and turned to embrace them both. "What happened? Where are the others?"

Fred wiped his hand over his face. "We aren't sure, all we know is that Death Eaters appeared out of nowhere and started blowing up tents and setting things on fire. We think they killed at least a few people but we aren't sure yet, we were preoccupied with finding you. Dad said for us to meet him and the others at the site where we portkeyed in and I don't see this getting any better any time soon, so let's get going."

Hermione nodded and they all left at a careful run, doing their best to remain inconspicuous until they were able to make it to where the others were hopefully waiting for them. They were nearly there when a blast knocked them all to the ground and Hermione's wand flew from her fingers. She rolled over, groaning with her ears still ringing and was trying to get to her knees when the scent of coffee, smoke, and spices filled her nose. She looked around, trying to focus on her surroundings when she noticed a dark figure walking towards her. She knew who it was because of the smell and how the warmth linked to her core was pulsing insistently. What she didn't know was the woman's name, why she reacted this way when she was close to her and above all, why had this dark woman's eyes been a part of her dreams for as long as she could remember?

Bellatrix crouched in front of the girl and gave her a curious stare. "Who are you and why do I know your eyes better than I know my own? How are we connected?"

Hermione coughed and steadied herself against the ground, "I'd like to know that very same thing but I think we should start with our names, mine is Hermione. And not to mention the fact that you're a Death Eater if your robes are any indication."

Bellatrix smirked, "A smart little bunny are you? Yes, I am a Death Eater. Quite a famous one in fact. If you're so smart then figure my name out for yourself little bunny and find me when you do." Bellatrix stood and with a cackle she spun and disappeared with a crack, leaving Hermione with the still unconscious Weasley twins.

Hermione cast a quick ennervate on them both and then they all made their way to the others. Harry and Ron were thrilled to see her, pulling her into their arms as soon as they all walked up. Their relief was short lived as Arthur had them all gather close before he apparated them all back to The Burrow.

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The following day, Molly collected the Daily Prophet from the mail owl and as she read the cover, she dropped the cup of tea she was holding on the ground where it shattered into dozens of sharp pieces.

FATAL ATTACK AT QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP:

Story by Barnabus Cuffe:

Amid celebrations after Ireland's historic Quidditch win against the Bulgarian team, an attack of violently huge proportions took place. Though far less valuable, the loss of property was almost as high as the loss of life. Seven wizards and four witches perished last night at the hands of vicious masked attackers, their deaths could only be called a bloodbath with little left of them for the aurors to identify. The names of the identified fallen will be at the end of this article as well as instructions for the pertinent families to be able to claim the remains...

In the days following the attack at the Quidditch World Cup, Molly and Arthur grew increasingly protective of their children, as well as of Harry and Hermione. When the day came for them all to go shopping for their school things at Diagon Alley, all the children were paired with another adult, the twins with their older brother Bill, Harry and Ron with Charlie and finally there was Ginny and Hermione accompanied by one Nymphadora Tonks. A newly christened auror who had attended Hogwarts with none other than Bill Weasley. The groups went from shop to shop, the adults carefully monitoring their charges as they went about their day and made their purchases. Hermione tried her best to rush through as much of the shopping as she could because she wanted to be able to spend as much time in Flourish and Blotts as she was able, she needed time to find a book on the last wizarding war as well as one that depicted the pureblood lineages in as much detail as possible. Finally seeing the Flourish and Blotts storefront, Hermione sped up but was abruptly slowed by a hand on her shoulder. She looked behind her only to see Tonks's looking at her with a furrowed brow,

"Where are you going in such a hurry Hermione, the books aren't going anywhere and you know that we are supposed to stay together. It's not safe after what happened, you know that."

Hermione sighed a bit impatiently, "I know Tonks, I do and I'm sorry, I just really want to get my books. The pace we've kept today has just cut into the time we have there is all."

Tonks nodded and smiled warmly at Hermione, "Well we're here now so go on, I'll try to find us a bit more time here if I can."

Hermione grinned and rushed off with Ginny in tow. After dragging Ginny back and forth around some of the dingier shelves, the red-head finally dug in her heels and made the bushy haired brunette stop in her fevered pursuit to add to her ever growing stack of thick tomes. Ginny set the books she was carrying down on a table with a loud thump. Hermione looked up at her and blinked owlishly. "Hermione, you do realize that neither one of us has gotten any of our school books yet right? And we are running out of time, we'll be going back to the Burrow soon."

Hermione sighed and brushed the hair out of her face. "I'm sorry Gin, I've just got to find a particular couple of books before we leave, I don't think I'll be able to get them otherwise."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Mione, listen, if those books are so bloody important than give me your book list and I will go get both your books and mine so you'll be free to find these other damn books you're so bent on finding."

Hermione flung herself at her friend, pulling her into a crushing hug before she darted away into the darker end of the bookstore leaving Ginny shaking her head in amusement. Further down the seemingless endless shelves, Hermione ran her fingers over the spines of old books about subjects she was dying to learn about but there would be time enough for that later. She turned a corner and spotted a book high up on a shelf, she could only see about half the title but she had a feeling that it was one of the books that she needed. She stood on her toes and strained to reach it but to no avail. Looking around she spied a rickety wooden chair sitting in a corner and went to grab it, hoping that it would hold her weight long enough for her to reach the book. Settling it in front of the shelf, she stepped up on the chair, pausing when it creaked dangerously underneath her weight. She reached for the book and just when her fingers had closed upon it, the chair broke underneath her, sending her towards the floor. She screwed her eyes shut and braced herself for an impact that never came. Slowly opening her eyes, she realized that she was suspended a few inches above the ground, her fall stopped by what she thought was the Immobulus charm. Looking around she didn't see anyone that could have cast it so she tentatively called out, hoping that they would let her the rest of the way down.

"Hello? Who's there?" After hearing no response, she tried again. "Could you please let me down, I do have somewhere to be and not a lot of time to finish my shopping in."

A low chuckle sounded from behind her, "Well, since you asked so sweetly little bunny, how could I possibly say no?"

Hermione's eyes grew wide at the sound of the voice, it was the woman from the Quidditch World Cup! But what was she doing here and more importantly, what did she want with her? Just as she finished that thought, she fell the last couple of inches to the ground, landing with a low thump. She quickly turned over and got to her feet still clutching the book that had gotten her on the chair in the first place.

"Come out then, I know you're here. If I'm to thank you properly then I'd like to do so to your face."

Heels clicking on the wood, the woman emerged from behind a bookshelf and stared at Hermione's rumpled form with a mischievous grin on her face. "I see that you're actually following my advice, wouldn't want you to be in the dark for too much longer, what with the plans I have."

Hermione cocked her head at the dark woman before her. "While I am far from a person that would shy away from any sort of research, I'm not sure that I understand your need for keeping me in the dark or for making me discover your identity on my own. You could easily end this by just telling me and then we could get down to finding out why it is that we seem to have such a connection."

The woman smiled, her ruby red lips parting to reveal a set of perfect, shining teeth. "Where would the fun be in that bunny? I'm quite fond of games, especially hard ones that I don't quite understand. The challenge makes them that much more exciting. And you, my dear bunny, are a very exciting challenge."

Hermione didn't have an immediate response to her words, instead choosing to purse her lips and stared thoughtfully at the floor. After a few moments, she looked up, meeting the familiar dark brown eyes, "A game? A challenge? That's all this is to you? Well then, far be it from me to keep you from it. I will say though, that I am not sure that you are entirely prepared for the barrage of questions that I am sure I'll have once I find out who you are. Though have you overlooked that, though I don't know who you are, I do know what you are. What's to stop me from telling everyone about you?"

The woman threw her head back and laughed, the full throated sound flowing over Hermione and making her shiver.

"You have every freedom to do so little bunny, but doing so would seriously hamper your ability to get any answers from me. Not to mention that it would make it exceedingly difficult to find out what this is between us don't you think?"

Before Hermione could answer her, she heard her name being called. She turned her head and called out that she'd be right there but when she turned back around, the woman was gone with a heavily bound book sitting on the chair in her place. With her thoughts whirling, she picked up the other book and made her way back up to the front of the store.

A few days later everyone was up early in a flurry of activity, almost everyone that is. Hermione had been packed almost from the day that they had all come back to the Burrow from Diagon Alley, she had needed the extra time to pack and repack and to make sure that she hadn't forgotten anything that absolutely had to come with her. The two extra books that Ginny had given her cover to find were buried beneath her school robes and class texts, she wasn't sure what they would reveal but she knew that she didn't want to share anything to do with them with anyone else just yet.

The sorting and welcome feast over, Hermione was finally able to relax in her bed. She pulled out both of the books and a piece of parchment along with a self inking quill. Settling herself after casting a few privacy and light dimming charms, she opened the first of the tomes and dug in. She flipped through page after page, enjoying and devouring the information in the books but it wasn't until she had nearly filled both sides of the parchment with notes that the knowledge of who the woman was crashed onto her shoulders like a ton of bricks. Bellatrix bloody Lestrange. Once one of Voldemort's supposedly most violent and vicious lieutenants and someone who was supposedly locked in Azkaban for life for her crimes. Of all the people that it could have been, of all the people that she could have some bizarre and unexplainable connection with it had to be Bellatrix Lestrange. She didn't know what she was going to do but she knew that she needed more information before she told anyone else. And she knew exactly where to go for it.


	8. Arrangements

**A/N:HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS! CHAPTER EIGHT IS FINALLY HERE! I am so sorry for making you all wait so long for this but I've had a crap ton of stuff going on in my personal life so I haven't been able to write hardly at all. That being said, I do have some good news for you guys! I have chapters 9-11 almost done so there should be some semi regular posting in the future! And last but definitely not least, I wouldn't be able to do this without my saint like Beta, , she is an extremely patient and thoroughly wonderful human , without further ado, Chapter eight of True Bonds!**

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The weeks that followed found Hermione doing her best to stay on top of her studies despite only being a few days into the start of term because she had something else taking up a good deal of her time and energy. She had spent hours upon hours trying to figure out a way that she would be able to send a message to Bellatrix without being caught. After learning what she had done during her tenure as a Death Eater, Hermione knew that she had to turn her in and she would, but not just yet. She was stuck on how to manage multiple messages back and forth without anyone catching on and ending the exchange before they could both get the answers that they wanted. She laid her head down on the table in the library she had been occupying, almost more than anywhere else as of late. With a groan she stood and started to pick up the books and parchment scattered around her when her eyes widened as an idea struck her. Sitting back down she pulled over an old book on charms and flipped to a chapter near the back of the book on how to charm two way parchments for long distance communication when owls weren't ideal. The more she read, the bigger the smile on her face got. It wasn't exactly what she had been looking for but Hermione was sure that she would be able to adapt it to what she wanted.

A few days later her efforts were put on hold after the announcement that the Tri-Wizard Cup was not only being revived, but that it was being held at Hogwarts. Harry, Ron and most of the other students were terribly excited about the whole thing but Hermione was viewing it with a great deal more trepidation due to the multitude of dangers associated with it in years past.

"Ron, Harry, you both need to calm down. Neither one of you will be able to participate in the tournament, so why are you even bothering?"

Ron rolled his eyes at his friends admonishments, "For Merlin's sake 'Mione, we aren't going to participate in it, we know that. Fred and George though, they are determined to get past Dumbledore's age line."

It was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes, "That's impossible, Dumbledore is far too powerful for a couple of teenagers to get past his magic like that but if they are determined to try then so be it. It won't end well for them." Shaking her head, she got up and left them sitting at the dinner table. As predicted, the Weasley twins attempted to cross the age line and were met with serious albeit hilarious consequences when they sprouted white hair and long white beards to match. The next day after dinner, all of the students and staff from the three schools waited on tenterhooks as the Goblet flared and glowed with blue flame and light. The first piece of paper shot up out of the flames and was snatched out of the air by the Headmaster.

"The Beauxbatons Academy of Magic Champion is Fleur Delacour!"

There was a smattering of cheers and applause from the waiting crowd, most of which originated from the other Beauxbatons students. The second paper flew up and Dumbledore once again snatched it up.

"The Champion for Durmstrang Institute is Viktor Krum!"

At that came a huge uproar, mainly from the boys in the crowd of students, they were all thrilled that the Quidditch star had been chosen. Once again the Goblet flared and up shot a charred scrap of paper.

"And the Champion for our very own Hogwarts is none other than Cedric Diggory!"

The Hufflepuff table erupted in a flurry of shouts and cheers, over the moon that their beloved Cedric had been chosen. After Cedric had left the hall, all of the students were preparing to leave when suddenly, the Goblet flared for a fourth time and a final scrap of paper flew out. Dumbledore strode forward to snatch the paper out of the air and paled when he read the name.

"Harry Potter."

The room was deathly silent for the space of a few heartbeats and then everyone in the room turned to look at Harry who sat pale and unmoving. Hermione had to prod him to get him up and moving. He slowly walked down to where Dumbledore and the other staff were standing. Dumbledore gave Harry a sad look and gestured for him to follow where the other champions had gone. As soon as Harry left the room, the room erupted in a furor of anger and shouting, the students and staff alike all angry about Hogwarts apparently having two champions and why couldn't they all have two. Karkaroff in particular was extremely agitated, demanding that Harry be removed or that his school and students would be pulling out of the competition. Hermione had no idea what had just happened but she was afraid for Harry and she knew that he was going to need both her and Ron for what was coming.

They found out that the First Task was less than a month away but had less than nothing to go on as far as what it was. Since they were at a standstill with what to do for the first task, Hermione resumed her attempts to make a charmed pair of journals for her and Bellatrix to communicate with. The process was a complicated one, she had to layer charms that allowed back and forth communication, that allowed only the people keyed to the journals to read what was written inside, one that made the pages infinitely renewable, and finally one that made the journal emit a gentle glow only visible to the owner when something had been written in its counterpart. After nearly a week of almost sleepless nights and very little in the way of food, Hermione knew that she had finished. She sealed the charms on hers with a drop of her blood and wrote the instructions for Bellatrix on a small piece of paper and tucked it inside the cover of the one she was sending off. She wrapped it securely and sent it off, hoping against hope that it would reach Bellatrix unhindered.

The following Sunday, Hermione was frazzled and worn with worry both for herself and for Bellatrix. She knew that if she had somehow gotten caught, there likely would have been a great deal of coverage on the matter and even if there had only been a sighting, there still would have been a public outcry at the possibility of her escape. So logically nothing bad had happened but as she hadn't received any answer, her concern on the matter only grew. Late that night, Hermione had gotten to bed and was very nearly asleep when a faint glow shone from inside her bedside table. Suddenly wide awake with her heart thudding in her chest, Hermione reached inside the drawer and pulled out her journal, her breath catching at the notion that Bellatrix's words waited for her and that she might finally have an answer for why she felt so drawn to this dark witch. She opened the journal to see the words written in a sharp but elegant script.

**_Well done little bunny, such a clever girl you are. So now that you've figured out who I am, whats say you put that clever head to work once again and figure out why it is that we seem to be linked. And before you think of turning me in, think of what everyone would do if they knew that their precious Gryffindor Princess was consorting with a Death Eater and such a notorious one like me at that. I don't think widdle Potty and the ginger Weasel would be too pleased to find that out, do you? And yes, I have been keeping an eye on you, how could I not? You are, after all, a very interesting little bunny but I'll admit, I do get bored oh so easily. Now, I will answer almost any question you could think to ask of me with two glaringly obvious caveats, I will not tell you anything about my whereabouts and I refuse to discuss The Dark Lord. Aside from that I am more of an open book to you than I have been to anyone, you of all people should know what that means. Before you send me a barrage of questions, know that for each one you ask and get an answer for, I'll ask and get an answer for one in return. I look forward to seeing what questions you come up with first._**

**_-_****_B-_**

She read and re-read the words, running her fingers over them and trying to envision Bellatrix as she wrote them. Did she lay in bed with the journal (that thought made her cheeks warm), did she sit at a desk whilst she put her thoughts to paper or perhaps did she sit in a comfortable armchair by the fire? No matter, she finally had a way to communicate with Bellatrix and she was going to do her damnedest to keep it as long as she could. Now, what to ask first. Hermione had the security of knowing no one could get into the journals but them so she had a little time and wiggle room but she didn't want to waste any of it with inane questions, there were things that were a great deal more important to ask with that thought in mind, she fished a self-inking quill out of the drawer and began to write. She penned page after page of questions and theories, trying to lay the framework of why she thought they were connected. Her suppositions thus far were fragmented but she hoped that due to Bellatrix's connections and access, that she would be able to uncover something on her end that Hermione was unable to.

**_Dear Mrs. Lestrange, I am thrilled to see that you received the journal and even more so that you have been able to write to me. I both agree to your terms and promise to not overstep the boundaries that you have set. That being said, I have my own terms for these exchanges. While I will match your openness, the subjects that I will not touch are what measures are in place to keep Harry safe and any information I may come to possess that could potentially be used against The Dark Lord. Other than that, please feel free to dig away where you please. Now that that's out of the way, I do have a few theories about our connection but I'm hoping that you might be able to shed some light on._****_I had the idea that there was some sort of possible familial connection but I have since extensively researched my own family tree and there is absolutely no connection between my family and any branch of yours so that theory was shot down. Then I thought of potential binding curses but the first and only time that you and I have met (to my knowledge so correct me if I'm wrong) was at the World Cup so unless someone somehow got ahold of both your blood and mind without our knowledge, that theory is moot as well. There are other things that I have come up with but none that bear repeating as each of them just sounds more bloody absurd than the last. With your more extensive knowledge about Dark magic and other such things, I was hoping that you would be able to shed some light on this or possibly come up with something that I haven't been able to thus far._****_As much as I would love to keep writing, I have to get at least a bit of sleep as there is a great deal going on here at Hogwarts at the moment, what with the Tri-Wizard Tournament about to start and Harry somehow being selected to be the fourth participant. Not to mention that I am trying to study for my O.W.L's as well._****_I look forward to your response and will write back when I am able._**

**_-H-_**

Satisfied with the entry, Hermione closed the journal and went to place it back in the drawer when it subtly glowed once again. With a furrowed brow she drew her arm back and opened it up to the newest page. In the middle of the page lay a single line,

**_Do call me Bella next time, the Mrs bit is rather tiresome._**

**_-B-_**

With a small smile on her face, she closed the journal back up and put it away. She'd make time to write Bella again soon, she'd make sure of it.

* * *

The two witches corresponded regularly over the next several weeks to the point where Bellatrix had come to look forward to the girls daily messages. It was because of this that she became concerned when she hadn't heard from Hermione for nearly a week and on the night of the sixth day that had passed with nothing from the little witch, Bellatrix decided to go to the school herself to find out what had happened. She knew it was a risk but she couldn't let anything happen to the swotty little chit until they had found out what was tying them together.

She apparated as close as she dared to the famed school and snuck into the tunnel inside Honeydukes under a disillusionment spell. She carefully made her way through the tunnel, pausing every so often to make sure that there wasn't an errant student coming her way. She was about to turn a corner when she heard two voices talking in hushed tones coming down from the other end of the tunnel.

"Well will have to get a few more bottles of butterbeer than we had planned Gred, I don't think that what we are getting tonight will be enough for our room what with the way Lee drinks."

"I agree Forge, lets say, six more?"

"That sounds about right Gred."

Bella pressed herself into a small dip in the side of the tunnel and cast a strong disillusionment charm on herself just before the source of the voices rounded the corner. She held herself still, not even daring to breathe so as to not alert the boys to her presence. Under other circumstances, she would have just hit them with a quick Avada and walked away but she wasn't there for that and she knew that her Lord would be very displeased with her should she get caught again and even more so if he found out why. She waited for them to pass her and then for the quiet thump of the trap door closing. As soon as she heard that she quickly moved up the tunnel and emerged from behind the statue of the one eyed witch, eager to find the girl and leave the castle.

It was hours past curfew but Hermione had gotten special permission from Professor McGonagall to stay out as late as she needed to be able to help Harry with research for the Tournament. She sat in her favorite study room in the library, eyes burning and head beginning to throb as she leafed through yet another thick tome in her efforts to find something that would help Harry. With a frustrated sigh, she shoved the book away from her and set her head down on the table, thoughts of Harry and the upcoming first task whirling through her tired brain in endless circles. With another sigh, she lifted her head to start putting things back in order but froze in place when she realised that Bellatrix was stood there watching her.

"Bella! Are you mad? What on earth would possess you to come here of all places?"

Bellatrix smirked, "Come now bunny, it almost sounds as if you were worried about me. You should know more than anyone that I can take care of myself when I need to. You on the other hand seem like you've been doing just the opposite."

Hermione gave an offended snort,

"I take care of myself just fine, thank you very much! I just have a lot on my plate right now is all."

Bellatrix stared at her with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance before she spoke in a low voice tinged with an emotion that Hermione couldn't quite place.

"A lot on your plate? So much that you forgot our agreement or couldn't manage to tell me that you would be out of pocket for however long?"

"No, it's only been a few days Bella, I was going to write you soon, I swear!"

"It hasn't been a few days bunny, it's been a few **weeks**."

Hermione stared at Bellatrix with her mouth agape, a look of embarrassed horror written across her face.

"Bella, I'm so sorry! I just got so caught up with helping Harry research things for the tournament that I must have completely lost track of the days. I'm truly sorry Bella, I promise I won't let it happen again. How can I make it up to you?"

Bellatrix smirked, her lips curving in a way that made Hermione's heart race with an unfamiliar beat. "I could think of a number of things bunny but none of them are even remotely appropriate for an innocent such as you."

Hermione blushed fiercely at the implication in the dark witches words as Bellatrix continued speaking.

"That aside, I'll have to think about how you can make it up to me. I'm sure that I'll be able to come up with something suitable but in the meantime, I want to see what it is that has kept you from writing me for so long."

Hermione motioned to the seat beside her, "It's not much but I'll show you. I've been researching past Tri-Wizard tournaments but I haven't been able to come up with anything concrete about them. It's all really frustrating if I'm being perfectly honest."

Bellatrix glanced over the titles and rolled her eyes.

"Of course you aren't going to find anything in these watered down pieces of shit. Most of these books aren't worth the paper they're printed on in my opinion. It's Hogwarts after all bunny, why on earth would they let you have access to any real information? That being said, that one book there, with the black binding? That might be the only one worth reading."

Hermione looked in the direction that Bella had pointed in and saw the book on the far side of the table and stood to reach for it only to find that Bella was a lot closer to her than she had originally thought. She could feel the heat from Bella's skin on her own and she could feel her breath ghosting over her neck. Hermiones's breathing quickened and her heart started to pound as Bella's dark red lips neared her own. Just when she thought her chest couldn't possibly contain her heartbeat, Bella's head snapped up towards the door of the study room and she growled low in her throat.

"It seems as though our time together has been cut short tonight bunny, I need to go."

Without another word Bellatrix strode to the door and pulled it open to make her escape but before she left she turned and smirked at Hermione with a dark twinkle in her eyes and then she was gone.

"Hermione sat down in her chair with a thump, the impact doing nothing to pull her out of the daze that the proximity to Bella had put her in. Her thoughts were whirling, what did this mean? What did it mean for the bond between them but more importantly, why did she miss something that hadn't even happened yet? Her reverie was broken by a gentle cough coming from the doorway of the room. She looked up and was startled to see that Dumbledore of all people was stood there with his hands held in front of him and the familiar and ever present twinkle in his eye.

"Headmaster! What are you doing here?"

Dumbledore stepped further into the room and laid his hands on the back of the chair opposite where Hermione was sitting.

"I knew Professor McGonnagal had given you and one of Mr. Diggory's friends leave to help with the research for the tournament but as it is nearly three o'clock in the morning and you are the only one left in the library, I thought it prudent to come and check on you Miss Granger. Are you alright?"

Hermione swallowed nervously, not wanting to lie to the Headmaster but also unwilling to give away anything about Bellatrix having been there or her continued association with the supposedly deranged witch. "I'm fine sir, just about to clear up these books and head to bed. I hadn't realised how late it actually was, that was irresponsible of me, I'm so sorry."

Dumbledore raised a hand, silencing the bushy haired girl in front of him before she could get any further into her flood of words.

"It's quite alright Miss Granger, I know that you meant well in your desire to help Harry. That being said, I would hope that you would not abuse this privilege that you have been given by not taking care of yourself."

"I'm sorry Headmaster, I've just been so busy trying to make sure that Harry would be ok during the first part of the tournament that I lost track of myself a little I think. I promise that I will do my best to do better but I have to put Harry first."

"I agree that Harry is important my dear but you mustn't let yourself fall by the wayside in all of this. You must listen to your heart and do what is right for you."

Puzzled by Dumbledore's strange words, Hermione only nodded as she finished picking up her things and stacking the books she had been using in neat piles at the end of the table for Madam Pince.

"That's everything Headmaster, I'll be going back to the dorm now. I hope you have a good rest of the night."

Hermione left the small room with thoughts of Bellatrix floating through her head leaving Dumbledore in the room alone. He knew that Bellatrix had somehow made contact with Hermione because that was the only reason that he could feel the tendrils of the curse he had placed on Bellatrix so long ago start to weaken. He also knew however that he couldn't afford to get his hopes up because so much was riding on so very little. With these bleak thoughts running through his head he knew that he wasn't going to find any solace in sleep so he made his way back to his office to get a very early start on his day.

* * *

With the exception of a few hurried notes, Hermione didn't hear much from Bellatrix over the next few weeks so she was surprised when she woke up one day to find a longer message from the dark witch.

**"I know I've been out of pocket but plans for You-Know -Who has kept me busy and I couldn't draw anyone's attention anywhere that it didn't need to be or risk this being discovered. Now, per our agreement I won't tell you anything that will risk our plans directly but I do have a small piece of information that may interest you. My favorite dragons just happen to be the Hungarian Horntail, the** Swedish** Short-Snout, the Chinese Fireball and the Common Welsh Green. You can do with that what you want bunny but sadly I have to go. Oh, I do hope that you haven't forgotten that you still have something to make up to me because I most certainly have not."**

**-B-**

Hermione's eyes widened as she read the last line, her heartbeat quickening in that way that only Bella seemed to cause. She definitely hadn't forgotten what she had promised Bella that night and she hadn't forgotten what else had happened that night. It made her wonder over and over what she could possibly do or give that would satisfy the older witch. As that thought flitted through her head, she refocused on the part that Bella had written about dragons and puzzled over the words for a few moments when all of a sudden a light went off in her head and she shot out of bed and pulled on her clothes, nearly falling over in the process and rushed out of the room, eager to research those dragons and to show Harry what she had found.

Hermione was relieved that she had managed to get all of the information to Harry in time and that in spite of selecting the most dangerous dragon, Harry had come through the first task unharmed and had been able to retrieve the clue for the next task. She was so thankful that Bella had given her what she had when she had, Hermione didn't think that Harry would have been nearly as successful without her. A few days after the first task, Hermione was finally in bed after staying up late to study and she was about to write to Bella to thank her for what she had done but before she could put quill to paper, the journal flashed with its familiar subtle glow. Hermione opened it to see a message from Bella which made her mouth go dry.

**"I've decided that I'd like to have what you owe me now. Meet me in the Shrieking Shack at midnight little bunny, and don't be late."**

**-B-**

Hermione did a quick tempus charm and saw that it was nearly a quarter past eleven. She quickly and quietly got out of bed and retrieved an outfit and made her way into the bathroom to change so she wouldn't wake her roommates. Once dressed, she snuck her way out into the common room and out the entrance. She was so intent on being quiet that she failed to notice that two sets of very confused eyes watched her leave the room.

Hermione made her way down and out of the castle, nearly getting caught once by Filch and again by Professor Flitwick. It was only because she was above the diminutive professors line of sight that she was saved from what would likely have been a great deal of trouble and detention. Filch on the other hand was easy enough to avoid, all she had to do was toss a catnip treat down the hall from where he was going to be and his would keep him there for longer than Hermione really needed. Finally in front of the Whomping Willow, she drew in a deep breath and sent a twig flying to hit the small knot on the trunk of the imposing tree. Once the deadly branches had stilled, the bushy haired witch crawled through the tunnel and up into the Shack itself with just minutes to spare before midnight. She looked around but was met with a seemingly empty room. She was about to search the other rooms but then a shadow solidified and melted away from the far wall, Bella was here!

"So nice to see that you can be prompt bunny, though you did cut it quite close."

Hermione swallowed hard, "I know, I tried to hurry but Filch and Professor Flitwick nearly caught me so I lost time trying to avoid them. But I'm here now so what do you want?"

"Well since you are in a hurry to get to the point, I finally came up with a way that you could make the other night up to me. I'm not happy with the progress that either of us have made in figuring out what this bond is so I want to speed things up as it were. I want us to meet here three times a week and to go over anything and everything that we have both come up with or found. We both need to figure this out so we can go our separate ways because we are both in terrible danger as long as this is happening."

Hermione looked at the older witch with a shocked expression on her face.

"I can't possibly do that! There's no way that I will be able to sneak off that much every week, especially not now during the Tournament!," Hermione lifted her chin defiantly, "I can do once a week, no more."

Bellatrix frowned at the girl standing in front of her, not entirely sure that she appreciated the little swot's tone. But nonetheless, she begrudgingly saw the wisdom in what the girl was saying.

"Fine. But in lieu of the extra days, I want at least six hours every week dedicated to this."

Hermione cocked her head and closed her eyes, mapping out if that much time was possible for her to spend on the problem of the bond. Opening her eyes she looked at Bellatrix with a tired look on her face.

"I can do that. It will be difficult but it will be quite a bit easier than the other option. I would prefer Friday nights as I am known to stay up studying longer than normal that night so it will make it easier for me to get away."

Bellatrix shrugged elegantly,

"That's fine by me bunny, Friday works just as well as any other day for me."

Bellatrix hissed and grabbed her left forearm, a pained look on her face. Hermione opened her mouth to ask what was wrong but Bellatrix disappeared before she could get the words out. Hermione rubbed a hand over her tired face and made her way back to her room, looking forward to getting a few hours of sleep after the night she had.


	9. A Boon and A Warning

Ok so I finally was able to finish and post another chapter thanks to my amazing and ever patient beta, , and my wonderful alpha, elizabethharper1025 Without those goddess-like women I would be absolutely lost. Something else I wouldn't be able to do without them is have yet ANOTHER chapter ready to post some time next week as well as two more that are on the post soon docket too! I will stop talking now and let you get on to reading but know that something super amazing that I've been wanting to write for nearly four years happens next chapter, so stay tuned!

* * *

Over the next several weeks, Hermione managed to make the weekly meetings with Bellatrix but even with this extra time dedicated to finding what it was that was tying them together, they had been making little to no progress which frustrated Bellatrix to no end and it had led to more than one argument with Hermione. Whenever the two would argue, it seemed as though the very air around them thickened and and the tension neither one of them wanted to acknowledge seemed to crackle around them. They always ended with a furious Hermione glaring after a quickly departing Bellatrix but the week in between their meetings always served to make them calm enough to start again. As they spent an increasing amount of time together, they both started to feel something different in their cores, it felt as if something was settling into place, but at an achingly slow pace that both maddened and intrigued.

The weeks and months passed until it was finally time for the second task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Harry had long since figured out the clue in the golden egg from the first task, though it had been with a great deal of help from Hermione and this new task was shaping up to be that much worse than the first one. Harry would have to dive into the frigid waters of the Black Lake and retrieve something that the Headmaster and the judges had placed in its depths. Though the wording of the clue had greatly troubled Hermione, she made sure that Harry was well prepared with Gilly Weed so that he would be able to breathe under the water and hopefully finish the task without getting hurt too badly but it was all still uncertain.

The morning of the second task, Hermione was called into the Headmasters office for a meeting with him about Harry and what was going to happen during the second task.

"Fizzing Whizbeez."

Hermione spoke the password that Professor McGonnagal had given her and watched as the eagle statue turned to allow her to ascend the stairs that lay behind it. She nervously grasped at her wand as the stairs rose to the door that led to Dumbledore's office. She paused, she didn't feel right about this meeting but when the Headmaster summoned you, there wasn't really any way to refuse. She took a deep breath and was about to knock when she heard the Headmaster's kind voice bidding her to enter. She opened the door and stepped inside his office, surprised to see that she was not in fact meeting him alone as she originally thought. Ludo Bagman, Madam Maxime, Gabrielle Delacour, Headmaster Karkaroff, Ron Weasley and Cho Chang were stood or sat in the large office and they all turned to look at her as she approached.

"I apologize everyone, I wasn't aware that you were all waiting on me. Had I known I certainly would have been here sooner."

Dumbledore spoke while the other adults either badly hid their impatience or in Karkaroff's case, outright scowled at her.

"Welcome Miss Granger, now that you are here, I can begin with why Mr. Bagman and I have asked you all here."

Hermione quietly moved to stand beside Ron as Mr. Bagman began to speak, cutting off Dumbledore in the middle of his sentence.

"Yes, yes, now that we are all here I can finally share one of the most ingenious ideas I have been able to think up for this tournament. One person that is of no little importance to each one of our competitors will be taken and be placed into an enchanted sleep and then placed into the bottom of the Black Lake to be guarded by a contingent of Royal Merperson guards. Each champion will have an allotted amount of time to enter the lake and retrieve their person. Any of the champions that are unable to accomplish this task or are unable to accomplish it in the allotted time will be moved to the bottom of the standings and will be that much less likely to come out as the winner. Now, I'm sure that all of the Heads have questions but we are on a very strict timeline today so if you will all help me put the _prizes_ into an enchanted sleep, I will be more than happy to answer questions afterwards."

Hermione turned to protest what was happening to all of them but before she could get the words out, everything went black.

While Hermione was in Dumbledore's office, Bellatrix was in the area of Malfoy Mansion that she had begun to dedicate for The Dark Lord's return as he would need a suitable place from which to begin his reign. It wouldn't do to have anything less than the best for him when he returned to them. She had just finished arranging an elaborate chair made of pitch black iron wood, an immensely heavy and practically indestructible material that she had gone to great lengths and cost to obtain, when Narcissa entered the room. She stood and stared at Bellatrix's efforts in the main ballroom that she had sacrificed with only slightly gritted teeth.

"I trust that your efforts will serve The Dark Lord well Bellatrix, it's the least you could do after allowing yourself to get caught all those years ago."

Bellatrix stiffened at her older sister's words. "Thank you for your concern, sister dear, but I am more than making up for that and I know that once The Dark Lord is with us once again, I will be paying penance to him for my failures, failures I might add that do not concern you."

Before Narcissa could respond to her sister's retort, Bellatrix's face went completely blank and she fell to her knees. She uttered three words, "I can't feel.." and then got to her feet and disappeared from the room before Narcissa could say or do anything more than stare after her baby sister in shock laced with just the slightest hint of worry.

Bellatrix raced to the edge of the Malfoy wards and apparated before her other foot hit the ground. She reappeared in Hogsmeade behind Honeydukes and carefully made her way to the underground passage that led into the castle. Once inside, she transformed into her secondary animagus form of a black eagle with white streaks on the underside of her wings and lifted up and out of the nearest window so she could try to find Hermione.

Now that she was on the grounds, Bellatrix could feel the bond. It was faint, whittled down to a thread but it was still there. This brought such a sense of relief to her that she almost fell from her perch onto an outcropping of rock on the far side of the Black Lake from where the second task was happening. Seeing that she was alone she hopped down and returned to human and disillusioned herself before casting a point me spell to see where Hermione was. When her wand pointed down into the lake, Bellatrix snarled, what was her witch doing at the bottom of the Black Lake? She knelt in the wet sand at the edge of the lake and stuck her hand in the water and closed her eyes in concentration as she spoke words that she had been taught a long time ago.

"_**Accola pontum **_

_**Curator aquarum **_

_**Princeps omnia inferiora.**_

_**Veni ad me, et audi vocem meam.**_

_**Veni ad me, et audi clamorem meum.**_

_**Veni ad me, et audi meis postulaticiis praeferunt."**_

The last of the words echoed across the water as Bellatrix waited for an answer. Her wait proved to be short lived as the water started rippling and then almost boiling when a dark and alien figure emerged from the water and started in the direction of the dark witch waiting on the shore. When it had gotten as close as it was able, it turned its large, black eyes towards Bellatrix.

"_Why have you summoned me here human?"_

Bellatrix steeled her gaze and lifted her chin,

"_I am a scion of a great house to which a boon is owed. I come now to claim this boon and to set right that which has been owed for years beyond measure."_

The regal looking Mer-Woman snarled at Bellatrix's words,

"_You dare dredge up such things! Who are you to beg such a thing from the Queen of all Merpeople! I should strike you where you stand for such impud-."_

The Mer-Woman stopped mid tirade and gasped when Bellatrix held up a shell that was covered with delicate silver symbols and strung on an impossibly thin gold chain.

"_This is why I dare, who I am matters not. It was the strength of magic I possess as a scion of my house that allowed me to summon you and it is this long lost treasure of your people that allows me to more than dare to ask of you what I will. In return for this, I am calling in the boon owed. Will you honor the old promise or will your honor be forfeit?"_

The Mer-Queen exhaled sharply and narrowed her eyes, the anger as plain in them as was the intense longing.

"_I will honor the old promise but at the conclusion of your boon, consider the old promise fulfilled and any ties between your people and mine broken. Now tell me your boon so that this can be done."_

Bellatrix sighed internally, she had the words and the talisman but there had still been that sliver of doubt that even with those things, it wouldn't work. She was careful not to let her relief show as she responded to the Mer-Queen that treaded water in front of her.

"_Very well. My boon is this, there is a witch that I share an unexplainable bond with and for reasons unbeknownst to me, she lies in or near your city. I wish for her to be recovered unharmed regardless of the plans that any of those idiots on the other side of the lake have planned. I want your word that you will personally see to her safety and the moment that she touches and stays on dry land, you can consider the promise fulfilled and the boon answered."_

The Mer-Queen took the talisman from Bellatrix and gave her a terse nod before returning to the depths of the Black Lake leaving Bellatrix to wait for the news that all was well again. Nearly an hour passed before a Mer-Man rose to the surface near Bellatrix and gave a small incline of his head. She felt all the tension leave her body and she closed her eyes as she apparated away back to Malfoy Manor.

The last thing that Hermione remembered was talking to Dumbledore and the other Tournament judges about Mr. Bagman's absurd plan for the second task and now she was awake on the docks by the Black Lake drenched in ice cold water and shivering so hard that she thought she might come apart. After finding out that Harry and Cedric had tied for first place in the second task and all the excitement was over, Professor McGonagall took Hermione back to her personal quarters to dry off and warm up. Once dry and settled in a comfortable wingback chair in a lovely shade of moss green, Professor McGonagall covered Hermione's legs with a tartan blanket and handed her a gently steaming cup of tea prepared just the way she liked it. Hermione looked up at her favorite professor with a grateful look on her face as she sipped the hot liquid, relishing the warmth from the cup on her hands.

"Thank you for the tea Professor, I think the shakes are finally starting to subside. What I need now though, is to be filled in on what happened between the time that I was in the Headmasters office with everyone and when I was pulled from the Black Lake."

Minerva sighed, "I am sorry that you and the others had to go through this, had I known this was a possibility I would have made sure to be in that meeting. Albus assured me that there wasn't anything for me to worry about, so I took the time to go over the new lesson plans for next year's advanced NEWTs. I should have known that there was something unsavoury happening when Albus was so insistent that I not attend."

Hermione set her tea cup down and reached for the Scottish witches's hand,

"Professor, stop. I don't blame you for any of this, I just want to know what happened. I promise."

Minerva looked down at the girl she had come to care for as she would have a daughter over the years and smiled warmly,

"Thank you lass, that means a great deal to an old woman such as myself. Now, regarding what happened down at the lake. Everyone of course was in attendance, myself included as we were all waiting to see the outcome of the second task and initially everyone was just waiting when all of a sudden, Mr. Potter came bursting out of the water with you and Miss Delacour and Mr. Diggory minutes behind him with Miss Chang. Some minutes later Mr. Krum emerged quite a bit worse for the wear but with Mr. Weasley in tow. It was the elder Miss Delacour that the judges had to intervene with, as her injuries were too severe for her to retrieve her sister or to make it back to shore, her injuries will have her in the hospital wing for a few weeks I would wager. Now, the most curious thing about all of this is the fact that Mr. Potter was able to return so quickly and so easily with no injuries whatsoever to either of you. It isn't that I doubt Mr. Potter's abilities but the Merpeople that reside in the Black Lake are notoriously vicious and even the Headmaster would be hard pressed to emerge from its depths unscathed. I think that more went on under the water than our Mr. Potter has let on."

Hermione frowned, her thoughts racing as she puzzled over the Professor's words. What she was saying didn't make any sense, there wasn't any way for Harry to have escaped the Merpeople and the Black Lake the way he had unless someone had helped him. Her eyes went wide as she recalled a book she had read a few years ago,

"Professor! I need to go to the library! I was thinking about what you said and I remembered a book on the Black Lake that I read a few years ago, 'Mysteries of the Black Depths' by Alanthus Bottleby. I think that it might have an explanation for us."

Minerva chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm,

"Hermione dear, you don't have to go all the way to the library for the book."

Minerva called out for the elf that was bound to the office of the Deputy Head of Hogwarts,

"Nilly?"

The diminutive house elf popped into the room next to Minerva and curtsied,

"How's can Nilly help you today Mistress?"

Minerva smiled,

"Can you please bring me 'Mysteries of the Black Depths' from the library? Miss Granger and I have need of it,"

Nilly nodded, "Yes Mistress, Nilly will be's right back."

The elf disappeared without a sound and returned with the book in question before Hermione could voice her objection to having a House Elf fetch her things when she was fully capable of doing so herself. The elf deposited the book on the low table in front of Hermione, bowed gently and left the two alone once again.

Shaking off her displeasure, Hermione reached out for the book and opened it to a place near the back and leafed through a couple of pages before finding what she had been looking for. Looking up at her favorite professor, her eyes shining with excitement she got up from her chair and sat on the couch next to the older witch and pointed to a passage near the bottom of the page.

"This is it Professor McGonagall, it says here that safe passage of any kind in the Black Lake is only permitted by the Mer-Queen, anyone else who dares venture into her domain risks death. And not only that, but safe passage is only granted to one who is owed a boon by the Mer-Queen herself. But it also says that boons are only granted to scions of great houses that have performed unmatched acts of service for the Mer-People."

Hermione closed the book with a small thump and sat quietly for a few minutes.

"I just don't understand Professor, who could have been in a position to be able to ask a boon of the Mer-Queen for Harry and more importantly why?"

Minerva shook her head,

"I wish I knew lass, I wish I knew."

An hour later found Hermione back in her bed, exhausted but mind whirling at the possibilities of what had happened earlier. She laid down and was about to close her eyes when a thought struck her with the force of a bombarda to the head. Bella didn't know what had happened! She dove for her bedside table and pulled out her journal, not surprised to see that it was already emitting the familiar gentle glow. She opened it and devoured Bella's words written in her usual elegant script.

"_**Tsk, tsk, tsk. I see you went and got yourself in trouble again little bunny. What is it with you and attracting danger? I'll warn you to take better care of yourself as we still have a mystery to figure out now don't we? I would say that I would see you at our normal time tomorrow but I don't think you'll be in any state to make it there and back for a while yet. That being said, I have… 'matters' to attend to the week after that and I will not be in England so we won't be able to resume our meetings for another two weeks. Use this time to rest up little bunny, you'll need it.**_

_**-B-**_

Hermione leaned back onto her headboard with a sigh, Bella was right, she wasn't in any state to be able to make the trek to the Shrieking Shack and back but it still stung because she missed the dark witch's company and wit. If she was completely honest with herself, she missed Bella and she missed being close enough to her to smell her dark, rich scent. The aches and fatigue from her ordeal that day suddenly started weighing on her so she reached for her self inking quill and penned a quick note to the woman she had started to become so fond of,

"_**Bella, I'll have you know that I'm fine and in bed and after what I learned earlier today, I don't think I was ever in any danger. Someone was looking out for Harry and by proxy, me. Now, I am exhausted from today so I'm going to go but as soon as I feel better, I know we will have a better conversation. I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks and resuming our search. **_

_**Goodnight Bella.**_

_**-Hermione-**_

The next two weeks sped by, the passing time bringing with it news and happenings that both surprised and troubled Hermione. Out in the Quidditch pitch the ministry officials had begun to cultivate an enormous hedge that turned and twisted around and in on itself. If it was anything other than a giant maze Hermione would eat her entire stock of parchment. The third and final task had been announced for a month from the day that she was supposed to see Bella again so she was glad that there would be time for Harry to relax and recover from the stress of the previous two tasks and time for her to hopefully make progress with Bella. The day when she would finally see Bella again had arrived and Hermione was buzzing with excitement to the point where she could barely eat and only halfway paid attention in class, only able to do twelve inches of parchment for her homework instead of her usual twenty four or thirty six inches. The hours seemed to drag as Hermione waited for it to be late enough for her to sneak out of her room and down to the Shrieking Shack. She cast a tempus charm for what had to be the hundredth time and was relieved and elated to see that it was finally time to go. She cast a disillusionment charm along with a notice-me-not charm and a silencing charm as well for good measure, she couldn't afford to be caught or to be late tonight.

She slowly pushed open the door that led into the room that she and Bella normally met in and was relieved to see the dark witch lounging on one of the low couches with a book in her hand. Bellatrix spoke without lifting her eyes from the page,

"It certainly took you long enough to get here tonight little bunny, I'm already half-way into this wonderfully interesting treatise on prophetic bindings that I'm convinced was written by a man who had never left the confines of a library."

Bellatrix shut the book with a snap and got to her feet and stalked over to where Hermione still stood next to the open door. She placed her arms on either side of Hermione's head and lowered herself until her lips were nearly brushing the younger witches and their breath was mingling with each exhale.

"What are you waiting for little bunny, a written invitation?"

Hermione stared into Bella's impossibly dark eyes, losing herself in their depths and the ability to form any coherent words fled without looking back. She couldn't help herself from wanting to close the almost nonexistent gap between them and to press her lips to the lush red ones in front of her but it was as if Bella could sense her intention and the dark witch placed a hand tipped with dark red nails on Hermione's chest, the warmth radiating through her clothes from the contact and pushing her back against the wall.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes and smirked at the younger witch,

"Now now little bunny, none of that. For now that is. Once we get to the bottom of what's tying us together then I might consider indulging in what seems to be brewing here. But until then you will have to content yourself with what you have done so far, do you understand?"

Hermione swallowed hard, working her mouth so she could speak.

"I'm sorry Bella, I don't know what happened. I… I don't do this sort of thing, I'm n-n-not that sort of girl to just throw myself at just anyone much less a, a…"

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow at Hermione,

"A what bunny, please continue as I am just dying to hear the end of that sentence."

Hermione swallowed hard once again and her cheeks turned bright pink with a furious blush and she spoke in a soft voice,

"A woman."

Bellatrix outright laughed at Hermione's admission, the sound rich and husky.

"A woman? Is that all bunny? I can assure you that there isn't anything wrong with finding a woman attractive and especially not with the company you keep, useless clods the lot of them. Little Potty and the ginger Weasel would likely be dead if it wasn't for you. Here I was thinking you were going to say an old lady or a filthy death eater."

Hermione blushed again,

"You are definitely not the first one Bella and I'm beginning to doubt the second."

Bellatrix's eyes widened fractionally and she hissed,

"Never doubt that I am loyal to the Dark Lord and to his aims little girl. And don't you ever presume to do so again because regardless of what it is that binds us together, you are nothing compared to him."

Hermione shrank back with tears shining in her eyes, the hurt plainly written across her face,

"I understand."

Bellatrix pushed off of the wall and went back to the couch she had been at when Hermione had first arrived,

"Now that that's settled we can get back to what's important. I brought those books over there that cover a few different topics as well as some deeper information about things we have already covered. Your time here is quickly running out so I suggest you put that brain of yours to work."

Hermione nodded silently and grabbed a book at random and sat to read and make with what was left of the night.

Some weeks later found Hermione studying in the library when she heard a polite cough from behind her. Startled she spun around, wand in hand to face whoever it was that was intruding on her precious study time. She relaxed and put away her wand but gave her visitor a puzzled look.

"Viktor, what are you doing here? Not that I mind seeing you but I had thought you'd be spending time with all of those witches that seem to be dogging your every footstep and catering to your every whim."

Viktor grimaced and bowed his head slightly,

"I hav no intrest in letting those _**piyavki **_any more closer to me than I hav to. Headmaster Karkaroff vill not allow me to take who I vant to the Yule Ball but I refuse to take who he vants me to."

Hermione raised an eyebrow,

"And you're telling me this why?"

He frowned,

"Is not obvious Hermyowninny? I vant to take you to the Ball if you vill allow it?"

Hermione sat back down, shocked that Viktor Krum, Quidditch Star and infamous ladies man would ask her of all people to something as important as the Yule Ball. She knew that it would cause waves, that going with Viktor would likely make more than a few people less than happy with her. And then there was Bellatrix, what would she think about this? As that thought, her core pulsed with a feeling of wrongness. Hermione shook her head at the feeling, not caring what it meant, or at least pretending she didn't. Bellatrix had made her feelings on the matter exceptionally clear during the meeting that they had a few weeks ago so why should Hermione give a damn about what she thought anymore.

She looked up at the dark, strapping quidditch player and smiled.

"Well Viktor, I'm sorry that you can't go with who you really want to but I would love to go with you."

Viktor smiled widely and pulled her into a crushing hug,

"Tank you Hermionini, I vill vait for you outside of the entrance to your house before the ball is due to start and escort you there yes?"

Hermione gave him a smile of her own,

"That sounds perfect. Now, if you'll excuse me Viktor, I do still have quite a bit of studying to do."

He nodded and left Hermione surrounded by books and relieved that the witch had said yes to his invitation to the Ball. As he made his way back to the Durmstrang ship, thoughts of a certain long limbed, red haired young man filled the quidditch players thoughts and it made his eyes prickle that he was still forced to hide his true feelings and inclinations but Headmaster Karkaroff would never understand and would pull all of his support for the rest of his studies as well as his quidditch career. As much as Viktor cared for the _plamya yego serdtsa_, he simply couldn't be who he really was until he was out from under Karkaroff's thumb. With those dark thoughts, he entered the ship to tell his headmaster that he had found someone to take to the ball.

The night of the ball had finally arrived and Hermione was just putting the finishing touches on her outfit when she noticed the journal emitting the familiar gentle glow. She opened it and frowned when she saw a few lines of the all too familiar elegant writing.

"_**You haven't been keeping up with your journal very well bunny. Do I need to remind you what is at stake here and how much we are both risking in doing all of this? I sincerely hope that you aren't off wasting time with something trivial.**_

Hermione frowned at the page, torn between not wanting to respond and wanting to tell the dark witch off for being so demanding. After sitting for a few minutes, Hermione decided that she was just going to tell her what was going on that night so that Bellatrix didn't do something stupid like try to show up at the ball. Summoning a quill and ink, she penned a quick note to the older witch, hoping that it would keep her from coming but knowing deep down that all it would do is piss her off.

"_**I will have you know that I have been studying, trying to keep Harry alive, meeting with you to figure out what this is between us and somehow managing to fit sleeping and eating in my schedule as well. I am stressed and I need a night off from everything and that includes you. I am going to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum and I don't anticipate being back in my room until very late. That being said I would appreciate it if you could refrain from writing to me until our meeting this coming Friday. **_

_**Goodnight Bellatrix. **_

Satisfied with her message, Hermione closed the journal and put it away in its usual drawer without waiting for a response and left the room. It was past time for her to meet Viktor and she didn't want to make him late for the Champions dance.

She got back to her room at nearly three a.m. the following morning, just a little tipsy but happy. Viktor had been a perfect gentleman and once they had snuck off and had a few drinks between them, the stoic quidditch player definitely loosened up and was really quite a funny person. Throughout the conversation, Viktor had revealed who he had really wanted to take to the ball, a revelation that had shocked Hermione but she was supportive and happy that Viktor had trusted her enough to tell her something so important. Her last thought before falling asleep was being annoyed that Bella had listened to her and hadn't responded to her.

The next few days passed in a bit of a blur so when the time came for her to have her weekly meeting it caught Hermione by surprise and unlike the other times, she definitely wasn't looking forward to it.

Hermione arrived at the Shrieking Shack with just minutes to spare before her meeting with Bellatrix. She paused outside the weathered door and placed her hand on the faded wood, Bellatrix's emotions radiating from behind it, hot and dangerous, burning across her skin. She took a deep breath and opened the door, uncertain as to what she would find behind it.

She pushed open the door to see that Bellatrix was sitting in her usual spot with her wand twirling between her fingers and a nearly blank look on her face. Hermione cleared her throat and spoke, desperately needing to break the charged silence that filled the air.

"Hello Bellatrix."

The dark witch simply kept twirling her wand and didn't respond.

Hermione closed the door behind her and paused when she caught sight of the table that was usually covered in books for them to go through. She looked over towards the older witch and frowned before speaking in a soft tone.

"What happened to the books Bella?"

At this Bella's eyes snapped over to where Hermione was standing and Hermione took a step back as she felt the force of the woman's gaze meet her own. Bellatrix's nearly black eyes were flashing with anger and a hint of something deeper that Hermione just couldn't put her finger on.

"The books? You shut me out to go to a dance and stay out til Merlin knows when doing Morgana knows what with some pubescent troll of a boy instead of concentrating on what really matters here!"

Hermione's eyes flashed and she walked over to where Bellatrix was still sitting in her chair.

"How dare you speak to me like that! I have done nothing but everything that you've asked of me, week after week, sacrificing my time, my sleep and at this point my bloody sanity so that we could figure out what this is between us and I could keep Harry safe during this Ministry sanctioned bullshit!"

Bellatrix rose and got face to face with Hermione, staring down into the whiskey brown eyes she knew so well.

"Do you have any idea how much I've risked to be here every week, how much I stand to lose if anyone finds out that I've been helping you as much as I have? Do you understand that we could both lose our lives over all of this if it goes wrong?"

"The risk has not just been your own Bella, I stand to lose everything and everyone I care about if this goes wrong, including you!"

Hermione gasped and covered her mouth as she realised what she had just said out loud.

"Bella, I...I didn't, I mean I don-"

Bella raised one of her pale hands and pressed fingers tipped with dark crimson nails to Hermione's lips, heat of a different kind filling her dark eyes.

"Hush bunny. It is neither the time nor the place for us to talk about something like that." She removed her fingers from the younger witches lips and spoke again, "Now, I think that we both let our emotions get the best of us here which could prove very dangerous for us both in the future so I suggest we try to limit how much we allow ourselves to do so in the future. Especially not after…"

Bellatrix stopped abruptly and turned away from Hermione making Hermione reach out and touch the dark witches shoulder.

"Especially not after what Bella?"

Bellatrix shook her head, "Nothing you need concern yourself with bunny. What you do need to concern yourself with is this."

Bellatrix pulled a small envelope out of her corset and handed it to Hermione.

"What you need to know to keep your friend safe is inside this envelope. I obliviated myself of what I put in it and before I leave, I need you to obliviate me of having given it to you, it will be safer that way."

Hermione took the envelope and put it in her pocket to look at later and raised her wand to Bella's temple and whispered the spell, "Obliviate." Bella's eyes went blank for a moment while the spell did its work and when it was over and her eyes cleared, she looked at Hermione with a slightly furrowed brow.

"Did I ask you to obliviate me bunny?"

Hermione nodded.

"Very well, I'm sure that there was a reason for it. That being said I need to go, I have a great many things to accomplish and very little time to do so."

She had turned to leave the decrepit house when she turned back to face Hermione and brought a hand to her face.

"I promise we will talk about what happened today bunny, as soon as I have the time to give that conversation it's due."

Hermione swallowed hard and nodded, not able to form a coherent sentence while Bella's hand was touching her. Bella gave her the ghost of a smile and left without another word.

Once Hermione was sure that Bella was gone, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the envelope that Bellatrix had given her. She opened it and was surprised to see only a few lines of Bella's handwriting.

_**The third task is going to be inside a maze full of danger, both from the other champions and what creatures have been placed inside its walls. Get inside unseen and find your friend or he dies.**_

Hermione quickly incinerated the paper and left the Shrieking Shack, trembling and terrified for her best friend.

A month later it was finally time for the final task and Hermione was ready for it all to be over so Harry would be safe and she could finally have the answers that she wanted, no, the answers that she _needed_ from Bella about what had happened the night that they fought. Hermione needed to figure out how she really felt about Bella and if Bella felt anything at all for her.


	10. Riddles, Rescue and Heartbreak

_**Well I sort of may have possibly forgotten to post earlier this week but hey, here you guys go! I sincerely hope that you enjoy this chapter as it contains something that I have been waiting to write for you all for nearly four years. This is a labor of love and one I could definitely *NOT* complete without my amazing Alpha, elizabethharper1025 and my truly saint like Beta, . I seriously love you both so damn much. Now, without further ado, chapter ten of True Bonds :)**_

* * *

Hermione knew that she had to stay hidden, if any of the Tournament or Ministry officials caught her any hopes she had of helping Harry would be dashed and if what Bellatrix had told her was true, she couldn't afford to fail at this. She waited until all four of the participants had entered the maze and there wasn't so much focus on the entrance to make her move. Hermione redid the disillusionment she had cast over herself just to be sure and carefully made her way into the maze, her heart pounding from fear and anticipation. Several minutes into the dark green foliage, she came to a branch in the path and paused, unsure of what route to take. Taking a deep breath, she pulled out her wand and placed it in the palm of her hand and said "Point me" as she thought of Harry. Her pale wand moved from side to side and finally settled on the path on the far left. Clutching her wand, she dashed down the path, getting closer to Harry with every step she took.

She heard screams from around the bend in front of her which prompted her to pour on as much speed as she could to be able to reach the source of it faster, she was terrified that she was too late and that something had happened to Harry. As she came around the corner, she was stunned to see Fleur Delacour on the ground being pulled into the maze wall by wickedly sharp vines that were digging into her body and leaving bloody trails all over the ground. She rushed forward and cast a slicing hex around the main part of the vines until they were severed enough for her to pull Fleur free from them. Seeing that the French girl was unconscious from blood loss, Hermione made sure that she was going to be ok and then sent up a shower of red sparks to alert the authorities watching that help was needed at that location. She moved deeper into the maze, able to slip by most of the various traps and creatures that were littered throughout the mze. She was stopped by something that she had never expected to see in England or anywhere else for that matter, a real live Sphinx. She had tried to sneak past it but it had turned its head and pinned her with a piercing stare.

"You cannot hide from me child. Reveal yourself and I will ask you your riddle. Answer correctly and I will allow you to pass, answer incorrectly and suffer the consequences."

Hermione removed the disillusionment from herself and met the Sphinx's steely but not unkind gaze. "I don't have time for riddles! My friend is in danger and I need to help him!"

"More danger than you know lies ahead child, if you leave without giving me my answer, more than your friend will perish."

Hermione exhaled a worried and frustrated breath,

"Fine, give me your riddle then and let me pass."

The Sphinx looked at her disapprovingly but still spoke the riddle that Hermione was so impatiently waiting for.

"Three times and three times more lightning strikes, all the same and all at once different. How?"

Hermione sputtered at the creature in front of her, "What kind of riddle is that?"

Nearly smiling, the Sphinx merely looked at her, "It is the one you have been given, solve it or turn back. There is no other choice."

Hermione began to pace, her mind whirling at what the words could mean. Could it be talking about a storm? A spell perhaps? Just as she started to go through a list of spells and charms in her head, it hit her. Harry! The Sphinx was talking about Harry. But Harry and… She had it, the Sphinx was talking about Harry and how many times Voldemort had tried to kill him. But three more times? How much more would her best friend have to go through?

She looked up at the Sphinx and gave her answer.

"Harry. The answer is Harry and how many times Voldemort has tried and will try to kill him. But how could you possibly know what he has gone through already and how could you know what is coming?"

"I see. That is all."

At that the creature stepped aside and revealed the path behind it.

"You may pass and I suggest you do so quickly, the danger has grown closer while you have been here with me."

Not stopping to do more than a quick nod, Hermione darted past and into the deepest part of the maze, hoping to finally find Harry. As she ran, she passed an unconscious Viktor Krum but she didn't need to stop as he already had the tell-tale red glow of the alert surrounding him. Sounds of arguing came from up ahead and she rushed forward into the centre of the maze. She saw Harry and Cedric arguing over who should be the one to claim the Tri-Wizard Prize. They were both being equally as stubborn, Harry thinking with his damned Gryffindor stubbornness and sense of justice saying that it should be Cedric and Cedric with his kind heartedness and loyalty saying that it should be Harry. Just as the tension was starting to leave her shoulders, she noticed that the expression on Cedric's face had changed, hardened into something ugly.

"I must insist that you take it Harry, really, you deserve it."

As he spoke the last word, he pulled his wand and aimed it at Harry. Hermione rushed into the clearing and threw herself between the two boys with her own wand raised.

Harry stared at her in shock but Cedric only gave her a look of mild confusion.

"'Mione! What are you doing here? How did you get past the maze and why are you aiming your wand at Cedric?"

Hermione didn't turn around, she didn't know what was wrong with Cedric but she didn't want to take her eyes off of him for a second.

"How isn't important Harry, as for the why, I'm here to make sure you make it out of this alive."

A cruel glint crept into Cedric's dead eyes, "Oh that won't be happening, not with who you have waiting for you, I have to see that you get there. And if the mudblood goes and gets killed in the process, all the better." He raised his wand before Hermione could react and sent a Depulso towards her and Harry which sent them flying into the Tri-Wizard cup. As soon as Harry came into contact with it, both he and Hermione disappeared from view.

They appeared seconds later in a graveyard surrounded by figures cloaked in black with ornate silver masks covering all of their faces. Hermione felt that familiar tug on her core, Bella was here! She looked around at the death eaters and tried to pinpoint which one was her witch. _Her_ witch? Where on earth had that thought come from, Bella was only a… well Hermione didn't really know what she was but she certainly wasn't hers. Before she could suss out where Bella was, a high pitched, scratchy voice emerged from somewhere off to their right.

"Well, Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived, we meet again."

Peter Pettigrew came from between the black robed figures holding a loosely wrapped bundle with a reverent and terrified look on his face. The voice sounded again from the muddle of cloth that Peter held.

"I see you've brought a friend Harry, how nice of you to do so. I'm sure my Death Eaters will find something for her to do after you're dead, or perhaps I'll let them all have her while you watch. No matter, Rodolphus, bind and guard them. Wormtail, begin the ritual."

The Death Eater and the ex-marauder scurried to do as they were told leaving Harry and Hermione bound to a weathered headstone next to a large, almost man sized cauldron and Wormtail putting things into the cauldron before taking a bit of blood from Harry as the final ingredient. All of the death eaters were gathered around the cauldron waiting for their Dark Lord to emerge whole once again. They were all so concentrated on what was going on that none of them, not even Harry and Hermione noticed a single figure in black slip behind their guard, quietly snap his neck and lower his limp body to the ground.

Hermione was watching the events unfold with horror etched onto her face, so absorbed in what was happening that she nearly jumped out of her skin when a cold metal handle slipped into her hand. She quickly realised it was a knife and quickly used it to cut the rope binding her and Harry to the headstone. Hermione turned and looked behind her, trying to see if she could catch a glimpse of Bella but there was only empty darkness which caused a twinge in her chest. Shaking herself, she started whispering to Harry about an idea she had for them to be able to leave the graveyard and make it back to Hogwarts in one piece.

"Alright Harry, it looks like they are almost done so we don't have a lot of time. I think that the death eater over there on the left has our wands so as soon as they start finishing you'll help me grab the wands from him and then you'll accio the cup while I shield us from as much as I am able so we can get out of here. Are you ready?"

Harry nodded, "Ready."

They darted towards the death eater that had their wands and tackled him at his knees and ankles, bringing the large man to the ground where he struck his head hard on a sharp rock. Hermione fished the wands out of the death eaters pocket and shoved Harry's into his hand and cast the strongest shield she could manage with hers. In the same instant, Harry accioed the Tri-Wizard Cup to them and they disappeared from the graveyard as half a dozen curses converged on the spot where they had been only seconds ago.

Voldemort screamed in rage, cursing all of the people around him, the ones closest to him catching the brunt of his wrath.

Bellatrix fell, contorted in agony, the only thing keeping her sane and conscious was the thought that Hermione, her little bunny had escaped with her life. That was worth anything her Lord could throw at her.

Harry and, to everyone's shock, Hermione Granger appeared just outside of the maze with a blood covered Hermione clutching an unconscious Harry and the Tri-Wizard Cup to her chest. The crowd around them went insane with noise as Minerva McGonagall shot up out of her seat in the stands and nearly flew down to where her two favorite students lay covered in blood. She was followed closely by Dumbledore who was moving faster than a man his age had any right to. Minerva reached the unconscious pair, fell to her knees and pulled Hermione into her arms, so distraught by what she was seeing that she failed to notice a small silver dagger slip into the grass below. Dumbledore arrived just as the dagger hit the grass and his sharp gaze didn't fail to notice that the crest of the House Black on the end of the hilt but he merely filed that bit of information away for later as he began casting spells to make sure that Harry and Hermione were not in danger of dying.

After making sure that the two were merely unconscious and not seriously harmed, Dumbledore held his wand to his throat and addressed the crowd, still having to wait several minutes as the noise died down to a level they could hear him over.

"Attention everyone! Though the winner of the Tri-Wizard Tournament seems to be Hogwarts own Harry Potter, there appear to be unexpected complications that require everything to come to a halt for now. If I could get all of the non-school staff to exit the pitch and join the school staff in the Great Hall and if the Heads of House could please escort all of your respective students to their dorms, I will address everyone as soon as something can be found out as I know we all need answers."

Albus turned to Minerva and spoke gently. "Minerva, go and take your lions back to their dorm, I will take Mr. Potter and Miss Granger to Poppy in the Hospital Wing, you are of course welcome to come see them there once they have been looked over."

Minerva nodded with tears streaming down her face and spoke with her accent thick with emotion, "You take care of them now Albus, you dinna ken what these bairns mean to me. I'll get the rest to where they need to be and I'll be back."

"Of course Minerva, that goes without saying."

She gently kissed the crown of Hermione's head and softly brushed a hand over Harry's cheek and stood, leaving behind the only children she would ever have.

Albus watched her leave and then cast a levitation spell to be able to move Harry and Hermione up to the Hospital Wing and carefully moved them up to where he knew that Poppy was ready and waiting for them. Hours later Harry shot up, nearly colliding with Madam Pomfrey who was running further diagnostics on him with her wand.

"Voldemort! He's back, he's back and he nearly killed us!"

Harry's outburst brought Professor McGonagall over to his bedside from where she had been sitting next to Hermione's still unconscious form. She reached out and placed a calming hand on his shoulder and spoke in soothing tones to the distraught boy.

"Mr. Potter, calm down. What do you mean he's back, tell me what happened."

Harry looked up at her with tortured eyes, and opened his mouth to speak but before he could get anything out, the doors to the Hospital Wing opened and a tired looking Dumbledore walked through them.

"Harry my boy, I am beyond relieved to see that you are awake and alright. Can you tell us what happened in the maze?"

Minerva looked up at him with a furrowed brow and a frown on her face, "If you would care to let the boy get a word in edgewise Albus, you would realise that he was about to do so before you barged in."

Mildly chastened, Dumbledore turned back to Harry.

"I apologise Harry, please continue my boy."

Harry took a deep breath to steel himself for what he was about to say and then began his story. Dumbledore did his best to keep his questions to a minimum during Harry's recounting but Minerva was unable to keep herself from gasping and to keep the tears from falling down her face as she listened to what her cubs had gone through. After Harry finished his tale, he stared down at his hands that were sitting listlessly in his lap.

"I'm sorry Headmaster, Professor, I'm so tired. I've told you everything, can I just go to sleep now?"

Dumbledore gave Harry a kind look, "Of course Harry my boy, you get some rest tonight and you'll be able to go back to your room tomorrow provided Madam Pomfrey has released you."

Harry nodded and moved to lay down when he called out to Dumbledore's retreating form,

"Headmaster! Where's Hermione? What happened to her?"

Before Dumbledore could respond, Madam Pomfrey came back to Harry's bedside.

"Miss Granger is just the next bed over from yours Mister Potter but she has yet to awaken as you have. It is more than likely due to the stress from your ordeal so I'm not worried about her at this time. I'll leave her to rest until the morning but you need to get some rest now Mister Potter, you are just as exhausted so if you would like to be released tomorrow, I suggest you get some sleep now."

Harry nodded, the relief written clearly across his face. He laid down on the hospital bed and was quickly asleep. Once Madam Pomfrey was sure that Harry was asleep, she quietly drew the blind around his bed and left him to sleep.

Much later that night, Dumbledore returned to the Hospital wing with the excuse of wanting to check on Harry and Hermione but he was really there for a reason unknown to everyone but him and only three other people. He quietly entered the room and approached the beds where Harry and Hermione lay sleeping. After assuring himself that Harry was fine and still sleeping, the old man turned and went around the partition and sat next to a sleeping Hermione. He pulled out his wand and gently waved it over her unconscious body. His face fell when he read the results of his spell. The bonding still wasn't complete and time was beginning to move faster than Dumbledore had initially thought. With a resigned sigh he rose and made to leave but as he passed a particularly dark alcove he paused and the ghost of a smile passed over his face before he continued on his way out of the room.

Bellatrix's heart was racing as the door to the hospital wing shut with a soft thump, she had thought that the old wizard had found her when he stopped directly in front of where she had hidden herself seconds before he had entered the room. With an inaudible sigh of relief, she emerged from her hiding place and silently approached Hermione's bed. She stood there for longer than she cared to admit just taking in the details of the witch laying on the hospital bed. She didn't know when she was going to be able to see her again so she was doing her best to memorise her features and scent but before she could finish her perusal, Hermione began to stir.

Hermione groaned and opened her eyes, feeling as if she had been hit by the Hogwarts Express and looked around and for a moment was confused as to why she was in the Hospital Wing when all of a sudden the memories from the graveyard came flooding in. She sat up as fast as she dared and stood on shaky legs. She slowly made her way over to where the partition concealed the occupant of the next bed and pulled it aside while holding her breath, hoping that it would be Harry laying there next to her. Once she saw that it was Harry and that he seemed ok, she turned to go back to her own bed and was shocked to see Bellatrix standing there with an amused look on her face.

"You don't look as if you should be out of bed quite yet bunny."

Hermione rushed over to Bellatrix as quickly as her still weak legs would allow and pulled the dark witch into a quick embrace.

"How are you here again Bella? I mean I'm happy to see you but you run so much risk every time you manage to slip through the wards. I can't imagine what would happen to you if Dumbledore found out you were here, Azkaban would likely be the least of your worries especially now that…"

Hermione gasped,

"He really is back isn't he Bella?"

Bellatrix frowned and nodded.

"Yes, the resurrection was a complete success though you and Potty escaping alive displeased him quite a bit. But that's not what I'm here bunny, I don't want to waste what little time I have here talking about the Dark Lord."

"What happened after we left Bella and why are you here now that you mention it?"

Bellatrix cocked her head and motioned for the younger witch to get back into bed.

"You might as well lay back down bunny, this won't take long and I'll have to go soon. After you and Potty managed to portkey out of the graveyard, The Dark Lord was angry and he crucio'd all of us nearly to the point of unconsciousness. When he had spent his anger, he allowed us to rise and sent most of the other death eaters away but myself and one other he had take him to what he is using as his new headquarters. He installed himself in his choice of rooms and dismissed us without another word. After that I came here as soon as I was able."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she listened to what had happened to Bellatrix after she and Harry had left to safety.

"I'm so sorry Bella. I didn't mean for you to get hurt like that, are you ok?"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes, "Over the years I learned that to be a follower of The Dark Lord means that things like this happen and you can either absorb it and move on or you can die. I choose to not die. It's such a pesky thing death, it rather interferes with living don't you think bunny?"

Hermione grimaced, "Well that's certainly one way to look at it. I'm just glad you weren't seriously harmed is all. Now that we've covered that, shouldn't we talk about the hippogriff in the room?"

Bellatrix sighed and sat next to Hermione on the bed.

"Yes, we should but it will have to wait as I need to go shortly and I don't want to rush that conversation. Meet me a week from Saturday at our normal time and place and we will talk then."

"But will you be able to make it now that _he_ is back?"

"I'll make sure that I am not missed that night but just be aware that if he calls me, I won't have time to say goodbye."

"I understand Bella. You should go, you've been here far too long already. Madam Pomfrey could come back any moment and you can't afford to get caught."

The dark witch nodded and rose to leave, pausing only to give Hermione the smallest of goodbyes before exiting the room, leaving Hermione alone with a sleeping Harry and her heavy thoughts.

Just over a week later, Hermione was in bed, restless and excited for what the night would hold and eager for the moment that her roommates were all asleep and she could finally slip out of bed and get to the shrieking shack. She was finally going to be able to see Bella again and they were going to be able to talk about what had been happening between them. A few minutes later, she heard Lavender's tell tale snoring that meant that she was finally asleep and if she was then the other girls were all out like lights as well. She carefully climbed out of bed and left the room, making sure to not let the door to their room make any noise. The closer she got to the shrieking shack, the lighter she felt and the more excitement filled her. She finally made it to where she was meeting Bella and took a deep breath before pushing inside the small shack.

Bella was waiting for her in her usual spot with a book in her hands as she normally did and a smile stole across her face as she took in the sight of the dark witch stretched out on the chair that she had claimed as hers.

Bellatrix spoke without removing her gaze from the book she was reading.

"Well don't just stand there bunny, close the door and come sit down. I brought more books for us to look through tonight as well as a spell that might be able to tell us the nature of what is binding us together." She cocked her head, "Or we could do that first if you prefer?"

Hermione closed the door behind her, not noticing that it caught on something invisible and didn't shut completely.

"That spell sounds amazing Bella, where did you find it?"

Bellatrix set down the book and grinned at Hermione,

"Why bunny, when you have the name of an ancient and noble house backing you up there isn't a lot you can't have or get. As far as where exactly I found this? I think you'd prefer I not tell you as it was a quite a bit less than savory acquisition. Now, do you want to do more research with the new books that I brought or would you like to try the spell? Before you answer, know that the spell is risky but I think you and I should be able to contain it should anything go wrong."

Hermione sat down in the chair across from where Bella was sitting and regarded her carefully.

"Well I think you know me well enough by now to know what I would choose. That being said, where does either of these options leave the conversation that we were supposed to be having tonight?"

Bellatrix sighed,

"I haven't forgotten bunny, I just want us to get the other out of the way before we get onto that. I don't want anything else to get in the way of that. Is that alright?"

Hermione nodded,

"We should get the spell over with first I think, that way we will have a little buffer to recover should something untoward happen. And then I guess we can talk after we see if it works or not?"

Bellatrix made a noise of agreement and pulled a folded piece of parchment from inside her bodice and handed it to Hermione, their fingers brushing which caused warmth to shoot up both of their hands. Bellatrix quickly withdrew her hand and settled back into her chair as she waited for Hermione to review the spell.

Hermione's eyes flew across the page and widened as she took in some of the more lurid requirements and suggestions of the spell. When she finished reading, she looked up at Bella with pink cheeks and a troubled look on her face.

"Bella! Did you realise that part of this suggests that we do this skyclad?"

Bellatrix laughed, a full, rich sound at the shocked look on the younger witches face,

"Oh bunny, it's only a suggestion but the look on your face was worth leaving it on the parchment."

Hermione made a face at Bellatrix that clearly communicated her annoyance and displeasure which only made Bellatrix cackle in response.

"I'm glad you think it's so funny Bella but I am far from amused. Can we please get on with this, I for one would really like some answers!"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes and took the paper back from Hermione.

"Clear the space near the chairs bunny, we should really be sitting for this as I'm not sure what exactly is going to happen."

They cleared the necessary space and sat cross legged facing each other with their knees nearly touching. Bellatrix quickly duplicated the parchment and handed one of the copies to Hermione, their fingers gently brushing causing the familiar feeling of warmth to race up their arms and into their cores. Slightly startled, Bellatrix pulled back and took a deep breath while studiously avoiding Hermione's gaze.

"Now bunny, part of this spell is meant to be said in tandem and the other part of it we need to alternate. The timing has to be exact though, if we are off by even a second it will likely fail with consequences we probably won't appreciate. Are you ready?"

Hermione nodded nervously,

"As I'll ever be I suppose"

Bellatrix nodded and signaled for them both to start speaking,

"_**Quid omnia ibi inter nudant**_

_**Quod occulte latet revelare**_

_**Ostende nobis quid latet."**_

Their eyes widened as the words of the spell rang in the air around them and pulled at their cores, it was as if they were resonating inside their very souls and filling them with a warmth that was quickly rising to a fever pitch. Breathing heavily, Bellatrix and Hermione simply stared at each other with a different sort of heat blossoming in their eyes. Bellatrix nodded at Hermione and began her part of the spell.

"_**Vinculum mihi revelata sunt, **_

_**nexum non visus, **_

_**quae mihi nunc non est videre."**_

Bellatrix's eyes widened as she saw a warm, white sort of ribbon going from her core to Hermione's and wondered why it seemed so translucent and tenuous. Her bewilderment didn't last because before she could finish her next thought, Hermione began her part of the spell.

"_**Vinculum mihi revelata sunt, **_

_**nexum non visus, **_

_**quae mihi nunc non est videre."**_

Hermione gasped as she had an identical reaction to Bella's but the tether coming from her core was a smoky grey instead of the white that Bella saw. Now that the spell was in full effect, both women could see that the tethers coming from each of them were mixing together like different colored smoke languorously melding together. It was beautiful and they both sat mesmerised at the sight until it faded from their view.

They looked up at each other with flushed faces and bright eyes, neither willing to break the heavy silence that filled the room.

Finally, Bellatrix cleared her throat and reached for her copy of the spell and the meanings.

Her eyes widened as she read down the paper, the realisation of what the results meant hitting her like a ton of bricks. She looked up to tell Hermione what the results were and was shocked to see that while she had been reading, Hermione had moved closer to her and was now only inches from her face.

"Bunny, what are you doi-" She was abruptly cut off by Hermione pressing her lips to hers. Shock filled her at first, quickly followed by a burning need to deepen the kiss, to feel more of the younger witch that was practically sitting in her lap. She tangled her fingers into Hermione's thick brown hair as the other witch slid her arms around her corset bound waist. A feeling of rightness and of peace that Bellatrix had never felt before filled her, this was unlike any kiss she had ever had, even with.. Well anyone. Just as she started to surrender to the feeling of Hermione's lips and tongue on hers, a sense of panic washed over her and she pushed the younger witch away from her, unceremoniously dumping her on the floor behind her.

Hermione looked up at Bella with a dazed look in her eyes and swollen lips, not understanding why the darker witch had pulled away. Before Hermione could reach out to her or even ask her what was wrong, the older witch made a strangled sound and fled the dilapidated shack leaving Hermione on the floor with tears running down her face and confused thoughts running through her head.


	11. POSTPONED INDEFINITELY

Hi everyone! I know it's been a while since I've updated so that makes this that much harder to do. I love True Bonds and I love all of you that have read, followed, commented and given it Kudos but after a lot of struggling and dead ends with the writing for this story, I have made the difficult decision to step away from it. This is not forever but until things get better in my personal life, I am not going to be able to do this story justice in the way that I want and that you all deserve. You will likely see me posting little things like drabbles, ficlets (some of which may not even be for the HP fandom *gasp!*) and other such things every once in a while but writing is going to be on a little bit of a backburner for a while.

I love you all and I hope to see you when I am able to post more to True Bonds. Stay safe and be well!

-ThorneAndRose


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